The Night We Met
by scarlett2112
Summary: An all-swallowing wave, not unlike a surf comber on a beach, was rushing up the boat deck, enveloping passengers, boats, and everything that lay in its path. A mass wail rose from those it engulfed. "All the despair, terror and anguish of hundreds of souls passing into eternity composed that awful cry."
1. Chapter 1

**_My friend Bonnie aka Salvatoreboys4ever asked me to write a "Titanic" story. I hope you will all enjoy what Eva and I have done with her request._**

 ** _The Night We Met: Day One_**

* * *

It's just after noon on a cool spring day. The harbor is humming with activity as the majestic liner is preparing to set sail on its transatlantic crossing. Standing in his starched uniform, Third Officer Damon Salvatore watches from above. People from all walks of life are on the pier. As he scans the crowd below, he stands a little firmer when he recognizes a couple of men from the most wealthy of society as they disembark from their carriages and with great fanfare start to climb the gang plank.

Once they're out of sight, he takes a hold of the railing and continues to enjoy the festivities. Because of security precautions, it's taking a little longer for the embarkation procedures. Feeling a nudge, Damon looks to his side and shakes hands with his buddy Enzo, who's also a member of the ship's crew. Damon visits with his friend for a bit but immediately stiffens when he happens to notice Captain William Forbes-Turner looking down at him with a disgruntled look on his face. The older man is on the bridge also watching the crowd. He stares at Damon for a few moments until someone else gets his attention. Following his line of vision, Damon sees that he's staring at Mr. Frohman, his valet and playwright Justus Forman. Charles Frohman is an American theater manager. Since it's his job to know the VIP's, Damon knows who he is. The man is known for creating the Broadway star system and bringing James Barrie's 'Peter Pan' to life on the stage.

Shaking his head, Damon latches onto the railing and once again drops his eyes to the passengers. He can't help but smile when he hears the effervescent laughter of children as they step onto plank to embark. When he sees First Officer, Nicklaus Michaelson and his wife, May urging their children to slow down, Damon laughs. He finds it especially funny when their little daughter, Hope plants a big sloppy kiss on her daddy's face. Of course he can't see the slobber from their distance but judging by the way she kept her lips on his face, he thinks it's a pretty good guess.

After breathing in a big gulp of salty sea air, Damon starts to walk along the railing. Suddenly he stops in his tracks and his mouth parts slowly. Below him is the most beautiful woman he's ever laid eyes on. Her shimmering chestnut colored hair is piled on top of her head, her olive skin looks flawless from his vantage point. She's wearing a black dress with a tan colored lace overlay and a big black feathered bonnet. When she looks up, their eyes meet for a millisecond and Damon finds himself falling, tumbling, flying into the vast unknown. His heart sinks when he sees a man grab onto her arm and pull her firmly onto the stairs. Before he can even think to react, they're out of sight.

 _She's way out of your league Damon_. Shaking his head, he moves down towards the port side of the ship. When he hears children squealing excitedly, he looks over the railing again, he chuckles a little himself when he sees one of the children toss a ball that hits and older man in the head. He supposes that it's the kid's father who picks him up and swats his bottom, his cries now fill the air.

As he continues to scan the crowd, he looks twice when he sees another regal looking lady. She's wearing a pin striped black and white jacket over her long skirt, slit slightly in the back. Her hair is covered with a huge bonnet that all but covers her face. When she looks up, Damon finally sees what she looks like. Her long brown curly hair cascades down her back. Her lips are red as the apple and her cheeks are pink as if they'd just been pinched. It strikes him as strange that she's alone, a woman like that without an escort?

Loud noises fill the air along the waterfront. People are shouting, bells are ringing and the shrill blast of the tugboat's whistle is answered by three deep bellows from the ship's horn. Confetti, now being tossed from the deck adds to the festive atmosphere as passengers bid goodbye to their loved ones. Once everyone is aboard, the mighty ship starts to pull out of her berth, much to the applause of the guests still on the pier.

* * *

Now that the voyage is underway, Damon goes about his duties. He walks the long halls and the corridors to see if there's anything he can do to assist their guests. The weather is turning a little rough now that they can no longer see land.

Being a seasoned seaman himself, Damon can detect the subtle changes. He feels the boat pitching and swaying just slightly. In inclement weather such as this, it is work that tests the strength and mettle of even the strongest men. No officer is allowed to leave the bridge while on watch.

If one were to violate this rule, they would be dismissed at once. In addition to his watch, The Third officer, himself in other words, has charge of all of the flags and signals by night and day. Damon is also responsible for keeping the compass book while the fourth officer, besides his work on the bridge has charge of the condition of the boats.

Observations are taken every two hours, as on an ocean greyhound, rushing over the course between America and Europe at the rate of twenty miles an hour, it is of the first importance that the ship's position should be known at all times. Fog may come down at any moment, halting their observations for several hours at best, even more in a worse case scenario.

The positions of more than one hundred stars are known, and by observing any of these the ship's whereabouts can be ascertained in a few minutes. The "road" does become more or less familiar to a man who crosses the ocean along the same route year after year, yet this familiarity never breeds contempt or carelessness, for no man knows all the influences that affect the currents of the ocean, and while the current in a given place may be the same for forty times in succession, on the forty-first trip it may be entirely changed.

Occasionally a big storm that may have ended four or five hours before the ship passes that point. It could give the surface current an appearance of being strongly set in one particular direction. There is no means of telling when these influences may have been at work except by taking the ship's position at frequent intervals. Once Damon finishes his rounds, he goes to the first class area to check on the VIP's that are aboard ship. He stops in his tracks when he hears his captain's voice.

"Salvatore," he hears, standing at attention when he sees the captain approaching him.

"Sir?"

"We have some very important people on board."

"I'm aware sir."

"You are to be at the beckon call of the Mikaelson family. They are big investors in the ship's line and we're to treat them as kings. Do you understand?" he asks, looking down his nose at Damon with a sour look on his face.

"Yes, sir," Damon adds, saluting the man just before he walks away.

* * *

"Mr. Mikaelson, this is Third Officer, Salvatore. He will be at your service day and night. Feel free to call on him," Captain Forbes-Turner tells the older man. Because Damon needs his job, the only thing he can do is smile and nod. He offers his hand which Mr. Mikaelson shakes vigorously. The captain looks at him rather smugly before walking off with the older man. Damon doesn't know why the man hates him so much. He has never done anything to cause disfavor with the man and yet.. every crossing he finds someway to humiliate him. After checking on some of the other passengers, he searches for the clan to see if they need anything.

Despite the crisp weather, he finds the patriarch of the Mikaelson clan and his wife stretched out on one the deck chairs. He's surrounded by Esther, his eldest son Finn and his wife Sage. The youngest son, Kol is playing tops with his niece and nephews. First Officer Nicklaus, who must be taking a little break, and his wife May are sitting on the other side of his father. Mikael is smoking a big cigar, blowing the puff of smoke from his mouth. Damon chuckles a little when May coughs and waves the smoke away with her hand.

From what Damon knows about their crossing, the family is on their way home after attending their daughter Rebekah's wedding to a Mr. Marcel Gerard. Damon remembers reading about their nuptials. It made the front cover in several newspapers nationwide. Swallowing thickly, he gingerly approaches them. He pauses just before he reaches the group to make sure his uniform is still clean and that he looks presentable. When Mikael sees him, he waves for him to come close.

"Officer... what's your name?" he asks haughtily.

"Third Officer Salvatore, Sir. May I be of service?"

"Yes, I'd like some of your finest brandy. Can you please bring a bottle and several glasses... NOW!"

"Of course, I'll see what I can do sir," Damon agrees. As he starts to back away, he notices the red haired, green eyed beauty Sage, eyeing him, appreciatively if Damon is interpreting her correctly. He nods his head just slightly at her and then hurries away. Once he's out of their line of sight, he rolls his eyes at their arrogance. In order to attend to his other responsibilities, Damon sends someone from the bar with a platter of glasses and their finest bottle of Brandy.

As soon as he's done with his assigned duties, he goes to check on them again but they're just getting ready to go to their state rooms to dress for the evening meal. He helps them carry the children's toys back. He starts to walk away when someone grabs his arm. Damon stops to see who has attached himself. He relaxes slightly when he sees that it's the youngest one of the bunch. Damon peruses him as he approaches. He has a boyish looking face and brown hair., It's a little wild looking but striking nonetheless. _It suits him._

"Mr. Mikaelson is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You can call me Kol.. You can relax, I'm not here to order you around."

Damon relaxes his posture a bit. The guy is smiling albeit a smirk and he doesn't appear to be a snob.

Stepping beside him, Kol gets close to his ear and lowers his voice, "I just wanted to warn you buddy, my sister in law has her eye on you." Kol starts to laugh when Damon's mouth opens and closes, gawping much like a fish.

When he can finally speak, he steps back. "I assure you, Mr. Mikaelson, I mean Kol, that I would never take up with a married woman, especially not one who's father in law has the power to send me to Davey Jones locker."

"That's a little melodramatic don't you think?"

"Nope," Damon retorts, shaking his head back and forth.

"Go about your business then but don't say I didn't warn you." He gives Damon a teasing wink and then goes back into his stateroom leaving him to wonder what that was all about.

* * *

After finishing his rounds, Damon goes into the great dining hall. The tables are all dressed in their finest tablecloths and china. The silver and crystal stemware are beautiful. They spared no expense, he thinks to himself. As he walks to his table, he happens to notice the strikingly beautiful woman that he saw embark on the ship this morning. She's even more stunning in person, he thinks, letting himself get lost in her beauty. She's wearing a pink lace and silver dress that drapes around her front. Layers of lace form a tier of sorts and she has a big floral like bundle of it on her left shoulder. Her hair is adorned with pink ribbons that match the lace of the dress. He's simply mesmerized.

He jumps when his buddy Enzo bumps into him. Damon smiles and follows him to their table. As he continues to look around the room, he sees the taller, dark haired man that he knows to be George Lockwood IV, knowing who the VIP's are is an important part of his job. Although it didn't click when he first saw her boarding the ship, he now knows who the fetching woman is, Elena Lockwood, the second wife of George. He's worth a pretty penny being heir to one of New York's richest families.

He turns away and leans back when one of the wait staff sets a plate in front of him. When he picks up the fork, he hears a huge booming laugh coming from Mr. Vanderbilt who is sitting beside the Captain. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, a native of New York City, is a millionaire sportsman who is traveling with his valet Ronald Denyer. They are on their way to attend a meeting of the International Horse Breeders' Association.

Sitting by herself, a couple of tables away is the other brown haired woman. She's wearing a sophisticated black and gold creation. The thin straps run over her shoulders but it also has a black lace overlay that forms sleeves and covers the rest of the gold dress. The black and gold is very fashionable. Her left ring finger is bare but she has beautiful lapis locket draped around her neck. That one is trouble Damon senses.

He startles slightly when he feels Enzo step beside him. "Do you know who she is?"

"No," he whispers.

"Her name is Katherine Pierce. She travels alone. At least officially.. I'll give it two days before the ladies will hate her and the men will knock on her door at night."

Damon turns to face Enzo, his mouth gaping. "You mean, she's a paramour!?"

"Yep," Enzo laughs, winking at Damon before urging his friend to join him for supper.

As he walks with Enzo, he can't help but notice how the men's leering looks are quite the contrast to the sour ones that the other women direct at her. What strikes him the most is how Miss Pierce seems to be oblivious to all of it.

* * *

Damon walks out onto the top deck to breathe in some of the fresh sea air. The moon is shining brightly. It reflects off the water creating a shimmering effect. It's really quite lovely. Looking up, there's a blanket of stars as far as the eye can see. The air is still quite chilly this time of year so he runs his palms up and down his arms to warm himself up a little bit. He's not yet ready to go inside though. As he approaches the bow, he stops, his mouth parting slightly when he sees that gorgeous woman, Elena Lockwood.

Perhaps she's doing the same thing he is, gazing at the endless sky above. She's all alone, staring up at the sky. Her hands are gripping the railing. Suddenly laughter fills the air, he notices her look up. When he follows her line of sight, he sees that other woman, Katherine Pierce, but whoever she's with is hidden from his vantage point.

Sighing, Damon drops his gaze and starts walking again. With his eyes on the wooden decking, he strolls alone when suddenly he walks right into her. He quickly grabs onto her so she doesn't fall. As soon as she steadies herself, he lets her go. "I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to run into you."

She raises an eyebrow, looking at him rather disparagingly, "Most people are in the habit of watching where they're going," she hisses. Their eyes meet for a few seconds before she turns on her heels and hurries away.

Stunned and speechless, Damon watches until she disappears through one of the state room doors. Damon chuckles a little bit when he thinks of the beautiful brunette. _She's full of fire._

* * *

 _There you have Day 1._

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I have to give her credit as a co-writer. She would give me bullet points, set up scenes, suggested and even wrote out pieces of conversation all in addition to her normal beta activities. Thank you my dearest friend. I love you dearly._

 _Story title: 'The Night We Met' by Lord Huron. There's a wonderful DE video on you-tube using this song by itskatie. She claims not to be a DE shipper but she did a lovely job with the video._

 _Synopsis quote courtesy of Erik Larson._

 _I really hope you all will like this short voyage into the past.. I have posted Elena and Katherine's dinner gowns on my scarlett2112 facebook page. I will post more as we get further into the story._

 _I did update EOT yesterday. 'Tomorrow' will update likely Saturday._

 _Both Eva and I are anxious to hear your thoughts._

 _Have a safe and wonderful day. Thank you all._


	2. Day 2

The next morning Damon gets out of bed and quickly puts on his uniform. After he shaves, brushes his teeth and combs his hair, he takes a leisurely stroll along the top deck to check on the guests as he makes his way to the dining room. He pauses to chat with a few of the first class passengers and their children, even tossing the ball a couple of times to one of them. He waves goodbye to the little fellow before he continues on.

Stepping inside the grand dining room, he has to pause to look around. He is always stunned by opulence of the architecture and the design of not only this room but the whole ship. Even the steerage compartments are not uncomfortable.

The ship's passenger accommodations are spread across six decks, each one identified with a corresponding letter in descending order from the top deck down to the waterline, they being the Boat Deck or A Deck, Deck B, the Promenade Deck, the Shelter Deck is labeled as C, D is the upper Deck, E is the Main Deck and F is the Lower Deck. As with all passenger liners of the era, first, second and third class passengers are strictly segregated from one another. According to her original configuration, she is designed to carry 2,198 passengers and 827 crew members. Their shipping line prides itself with a record for passenger satisfaction.

Her first class accommodations are in the center section of the ship on the five uppermost decks, mostly concentrated between the first and fourth funnels. When fully booked, she can cater to 552 first class passengers. In common with all major liners of the period, her first class interiors are decorated with a mélange of historical styles. The first class dining saloon is the grandest of the ship's public rooms; arranged over two decks with an open circular well at its center and crowned by an elaborate dome measuring 29 feet. It's decorated with frescos in the style of François Boucher and elegantly realized throughout in the neoclassical Louis XVI style. The walls are finished with white and gilt carved mahogany panels while Corinthian decorated columns are used to support the floor above. The one concession to seaborne life is that furniture is bolted to the floor, the drawback being that the passengers can not rearrange their seating to their personal convenience.

All other first class public rooms were situated on the boat deck and comprised a lounge, reading and writing rooms, a smoking room and veranda café. The last is an innovation so that in warm weather, one side of the café can be opened up to give the impression of sitting outdoors. Damon knows because of the often inclement weather of the North Atlantic, that feature is rarely used. The first class lounge is decorated in Georgian style with inlaid mahogany panels surrounding a jade green carpet with a yellow floral pattern. It has a barrel vaulted skylight rising to 20 feet with stained glass windows each representing one month of the year. Each end of the lounge has a 14-foot high green marble fireplace incorporating designer made enameled panels. The pattern is linked overall with decorative plasterwork.

As Damon peruses the guests, he sees Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood by the breakfast buffet. He turns away for a minute to look for the Mikaelson's, only looking back when he hears his friend, Enzo's voice. She never looks up at him, not anyone really he decides after watching her for a few moments. Hearing his friend's voice, he turns his head just in time to see Enzo serving their table. Damon sees her mouth moving as she points to something on his tray. She's speaking too quietly for him to understand but he does see the dour look on her face. He also doesn't miss her husband's rather inept attempt to roll his eyes discreetly.

Damon shakes his head at the arrogance. Although she was anything but pleasant to him last night, for Mr. Lockwood to act like that is low class. Enzo brushes past him on the way back to the kitchen whispering, "She's an arrogant bitch but a hot one."

Out of his peripheral vision, he notices First Officer Mikaelson speaking with his father. Since he doesn't see any of the other members of the family, he slips out of the great hall to get himself some breakfast and a cup of coffee.

* * *

Stopping only to look in the mirror to see that his uniform is spotless, Damon quickly adjusts his hat and hurries to the bridge where he's been summoned by Captain Turner. As soon as he steps into the wheelhouse, he salutes the captain.

"I would like an update on the Mikaelson's. Did they need anything today? Is there something, some special food or anything they feel we are lacking?"

"Um, I haven't seen them yet today sir."

"Did I or did I not tell you to make yourself available at all hours of the day or night? How are you to serve them if you haven't even seen them yet? It's already 10:00 hours, what excuse do you have for your deliberate insubordination?"

"Sir, if you'll allow me to explain?"

The older man says nothing. Instead he just stares at Damon with disdain. Minutes pass like hours before he finally speaks. "Go on, I'm waiting."

"Sir, as soon as I got up, I got dressed and did my rounds on Decks A and B. Then I went for breakfast. I was on my way to check on them when I was told that you wanted to see me."

"That's your excuse?"

"Sir, I'm not making excuses, I'm telling you what my morning has been like."

"I don't want to hear anymore. Go right now and make yourself available to them. I intend to ask Mr. Mikaelson about your attentiveness so if I were you, I'd put in a little extra effort. You're dismissed."

He's glaring daggers at him so Damon salutes and then hurries off without bothering to look back. Once he's out of sight of the captain's line of sight, Damon grabs a hold of the railing, squeezing so tightly that his knuckles whiten. He realizes that he's going to see if he can find work on another ship or another line. The tension between himself and the captain is getting worse and worse. It takes all the self control that he possesses to keep himself from rearing back and landing a right hook to his jaw. He can't let that happen, he'd find himself in the hoosegow or worse in the time it takes to blink an eye. Blowing out a frustrated breath of air, Damon rubs his clammy hands on his pant legs, closing his eyes in relief when it doesn't leave a mark and then goes in search of the Mikaelson clan.

* * *

Damon does not find the group on A deck so he heads to the first class lodging area. He knocks on their state room but the only one that answers is their servant Rose who tells him that they went to the promenade deck to get some sunlight. After thanking her, he smiles and walks down the corridor to go upstairs. Suddenly a door opens and a man calls to him. Turning around, Damon stiffens when he sees that it's George Lockwood, one of many who could put a bad word about him, which would only aggravate the captain's ire towards him even more.

"Can I help you, Mr. Lockwood?"

The man looks around suspiciously before he steps into the hall just a little past his threshold. Very discreetly and with his voice lowered, he hands Damon an envelope. "I want you to deliver that to Miss Pierce in her cabin."

 _She and Mr. Lockwood?_ Although he doesn't like it one bit, there's really not much he can do but agree. Damon nods and turns around. He doesn't get more than a few feet away from the man when he's called back. "Was there something else, sir?"

"Yes.. As you can see," he starts to say, extending his arm in sweeping motion allowing Damon to look into the parlor of their room. There's broken glass all over. It gives Damon a funny feeling but he doesn't know why. "As you can see, it's a mess. Mrs. Lockwood is quite clumsy and broke a vase. You need to send for someone to clean it up?" Damon also notices that a chair is tipped over. He doesn't make any comments but when he happens to notice her, she gives him a rather nasty look.

"I'll send a maid right away, sir." Damon meets her eyes one more time but when she turns away, he has no choice but to leave.

* * *

He sticks the letter in his pocket and then finds out from one of the stewards which room Miss Pierce is in. He walks slowly towards her room but he can't get the look on _her_ face out of mind. For the life of him, Damon can't understand why Lockwood would need a mistress when he has someone as gorgeous as his wife to come home to every night. The guy is rather slimy despite his friendly behavior. Feeling the envelope in his pocket, he feels dirty just delivering it. But perhaps Mrs. Lockwood just has a volatile temperament? He's been on the receiving end of it after all. Maybe the two of them had an argument which got of hand... she picked up the vase and threw it at her husband's head, which he'd certainly deserve.

He stands in front of Miss Pierce's door and then raises his hand, rapping softly. When she opens it, Damon steps back slightly. She's wearing a lacy silk robe, her curly hair drapes over her shoulders and covers her breasts but her cleavage is front and center. Her eyes travel from his face down his body and then back. "Do you like what you see?" she asks, her voice husky and her smile seductive.

Since Damon doesn't want to get himself into a lot of trouble, he can only smile. "This is for you," he croaks, handing her the envelope.

She winks and thanks him before pushing her door closed. Hearing footsteps, he happens to notice the Captain coming down the hall talking to Mr. Vanderbilt so he ducks into the stair well and hurries up to the promenade deck to see if he can find and attend to the Mikaelson's. He's barely steps onto the deck when he's waylaid by someone latching onto his arm. He's speechless when he sees that it's Sage, Finn's wife.

"Where are you going in such a hurry? I thought maybe you could give me a private tour of this magnificent ship?"

"Um, uh," he stutters, not knowing what to say. Fortunately for Damon, Finn happens to come around the corner. She rolls her eyes at him and then plasters a big smile on her face before hurrying over to link arms with her husband. Blowing out relieved puff of air, he straightens his jacket and then continues towards the group.

"What did I tell you about her?" Kol laughs, winking at Damon.

"You saw that?"

"I did indeed."

Damon feels his face heat up with the way the younger Mikaelson is laughing at him. "What am I supposed to do?"

"If Sage sets her sights on someone, it's nearly impossible to avoid her, especially on a big boat such as this.." He laughs some more. "I'll try to keep watch for you, friend." With that, he walks away, puts his flirt on and approaches a pretty blonde who is standing at the railing. He watches the man for a few minutes and then hurries over to Mikael.

"Mr. Salvatore, I've been expecting you. I need to have some correspondence wired to London."

"Yes, sir."

Without saying anything, the man lifts up a folder that's sitting beside him and gives a couple of sheets to Damon. "I'll be waiting for your return."

Taking them, Damon nods and hurries off to go to the wireless room but not before seeing the Captain glare at him yet again.

* * *

When he finally finds five minutes to take a break, he finds Enzo and the two of them go to get a cup of coffee. He mentions the letter that George Lockwood asked him to deliver to Miss Pierce. He laughs at Damon's naivety when he confirms that the two are having a hot and heavy affair. "High society has their own set of rules. Hell, Mrs. Lockwood probably has a lover on the side too, that's just the way it works in that world."

"I disagree. They can't all be like that."

Enzo smiles and takes a sip of his coffee.

Shaking his head, Damon retorts, "You know Enzo, I'm no novice. I've been around a long time, I've learned a few things."

"You've been around awhile?" Enzo laughs. "How many crossings have you made, a half a dozen? You have a lot to learn, Damon."

Rather than say anything, Damon just takes a long pull from his coffee cup. Maybe his friend is right and he is just naïve. He thinks about _her_. What is it about Mrs. Lockwood that he keeps trying to find excuses for her?

* * *

After the evening meal, Damon notices that both Mr. Lockwood and Miss Pierce have disappeared. Mrs. Lockwood is still at the table visiting with one of the older ladies. When she stands up, he jumps up too and meets her at the doorway.

"Would you like an escort back to you cabin, Mrs. Lockwood?"

She peruses him slowly. "I am perfectly capable to taking care of myself. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone."

He has no idea what he did that she is always snapping at him and why it bothers him? He tries to shake it off though. Just as he's about to retire for the evening, the Captain once again asks him about the Mikaelson family. He seems to take a perverse pleasure in badgering Damon about them. This time though he's prepared, he rattles off a report about their VIP's and what he did for them today.

Having nothing to metaphorically dagger Damon with, Captain Turner dismisses him. Rather than go straight to his room, he follows his usual habit of walking onto the promenade deck to get some fresh air before he turns in for the night. He's not really surprised when he sees _her_ there too. He approaches gingerly, stepping beside her next to the rail. He looks out over the water, it's sleek and black as coal except where the moon reflects off of it. It shimmers like crystal.

The sky is once again blanketed with millions of twinkling stars. In an ideal world he would be here as her escort, she would be smiling and admiring the night sky while he would tell her about all those shining points that lead the wanderers across the sea. He doesn't know where this idea came from.

He's not even sure she noticed his presence and turns to face her. Feeling his gaze Elena steps back, her face unreadable. "Are you following me? Why do you keep bothering me?" When Damon doesn't reply immediately, a sneer crosses her face and then she goes to leave. However, a sudden down swing of the ship makes her stumble and her fall is only prevented when Damon rushes to catch her. She hisses in pain where his hands are holding onto her arms. It catches him off guard and as soon as he's sure she has her balance, he lets her go. Without looking back at him, Elena runs away with as much dignity as possible. Damon finds himself unable to look away as his suspicions paint an even worse scenario than what he saw in her cabin earlier today.

* * *

 _Thank you much, Eva. Love you lots._

 _Thank you all so much. You are all truly the best of the Delena world. This story has turned out to be longer than anticipated. I hope you'll continue to enjoy it._

 _I am going on a short vacation through the weekend so it'll be next week when I update again._

 _Please have a look at my other stories: 'Edge of Thorns' and 'Tomorrow'._

 _Have a safe and wonderful day. We'll see you next time._


	3. Day 3

Sunlight streaming in from the port hole is what awakens her. Feeling the warmth against her face, she cracks an eyelid and quickly rolls over to shield her face. As consciousness slowly fills her senses, she finds herself alone in their bed. When she entered their cabin last night, she didn't even take the time to clean up before she angrily threw herself onto the bed. Since neither her husband nor Elizabeth were around to prevent it, she broke down completely, releasing heavy sobs into the pillow.

Completely exhausted and a maybe a little sea sick too, she fell asleep in the dress she wore to dinner. She groans and buries her face in the pillow when she feels her head beginning to throb. Her hair is still made up, the bobby pins tight against her scalp.

It's early, George's side of the bed is cold and unrumpled. _He was with her again._

She shifts onto her back and throws her forearm over her eyes for a few minutes. With her head pounding, she knows she won't get back to sleep so she throws her legs over the side, drops her chin to her chest. The throbbing intensifies so she presses her fingertips against her temples to massage them for a bit. Maybe Elizabeth will have some peppermint oil for her? It usually helps her headaches.

Moments later, she briskly gets up to wash her face and pull out her hair pins. After finishing her morning routine, she changes into something more comfortable. She fingers through her hair but doesn't put much effort into it because Elizabeth will fix it when she comes in a little later.

As hard as it is sometimes, she _always_ manages to keep herself calm and collected. She can deal with the nasty looks and rude comments that they think she is oblivious to, she can live with George's rude demeanor and even his lovers but sometimes, all of this combines together and the slightest nudge will push her over the edge. Last night, the impulse, the nudge was a nice looking, polite young officer. He seemed genuinely concerned but after everything, she simply couldn't handle it.

 _How dare he_ remind her that there are real and genuine men in the world when all she gets to experience are lies and pretense? _How dare he_ get in her way, offering companionship and kindness when she's choking on her own bitterness and feelings of uselessness? He looked at her as a person, she could see it in those hypnotic ocean blue eyes of his. She can't think about that or him, she's supposed to be a perfect wife of a Wall Street banker, one who never looks past the polite smiles and made up compliments and is completely oblivious to everything good and bereft of human emotions.

Standing in the front of large mirror, she gingerly touches her naked arms, examining the large bruises George left behind when they got into a fight yesterday morning. She stares at the ugly black and blue discolorations. She's lucky she didn't cut herself when she knocked down a vase as she was trying to escape George's punishing squeeze. Raising her chin to look at her face in the mirror, she pictures his face in her mind. She can't help but wonder if maybe Officer Salvatore, she remembers his name, might have noticed something when he caught her last night on deck. _She hopes he didn't._

Her parents, no one as a matter of fact ever warned her that love was meaningless, nothing but a made up sentiment that arose from fairytales. Nor did they tell her that a marriage to George Lockwood IV could and likely would break her spirit. They didn't even ask for her opinion, they simply decided that she would be the perfect match for the heir to the Lockwood banking fortune. She had barely reached puberty when she was promised to the bastard, a man she despises with a visceral intensity.

She wasn't allowed to grow up, no, instead she was groomed to be the dutiful wife of a titan. She had the name and the money to offer and at first she didn't think that it was a bad thing. George was a bit older but not much, charming and funny, he took her to places and brought her flowers, she thought he would love her. _He told her he loved her._ Soon after the wedding the air between them changed.

He was charming only when someone saw them. He stopped bringing her flowers and many times he left her alone all night. When she finally swallowed back her nerves, she confronted him, asking him where he goes at night. Although she already knew the answer, he didn't even try to lie, he was very forthright about his lady friends. _Why did she ever expect that he'd be satisfied with just her, his wife?_ It's normal behavior he proclaimed before stepping out of the door to disappear for another night.

At first, she didn't want to accept his boorish behavior but he refused to change his ways. She tried to fight but she was soon in for a rude awakening. Having confided in her parents, she was aghast at their response. Rather than support her and help her to divorce him, she was told to play her role and make arrangements for herself. She was horrified, refusing adamantly to participate in a life like this but she was given no other option. S _he was not to disgrace the family name..._

If all that wasn't enough, George took her last snippet of freedom. He needed an heir. And she was there to deliver it.

* * *

Damon feels even more confused in the morning. He has a few minutes before he has to get up so he lays still, staring at the ceiling. Mrs. Lockwood is an enigma. Listening to her words and watching her rude behavior, he would have to agree with Enzo. But looking into her eyes last night, he was stunned by what he saw. Gone were the anger and arrogance, instead he saw something completely different. Fear. Bitterness. Heartbreak. Emotions that have no place in a such a young woman's eyes. He knows Mrs. Lockwood is young. Perhaps much younger than he considered before last evening.

What bothers him even more was her reaction when he caught her. He held her firmly, yes, but he wasn't thuggish or brutal. His touch shouldn't have elicited a painful response and yet it did. Shifting slightly, he thinks back to yesterday. What did her husband say about the vase?

Even more than Mrs. Lockwood herself, his own reactions to her are confusing as hell. Why does he feel like protecting her from everyone and everything bad in the world, even if it should be her own husband? With these thoughts swimming in his head, he gets out of bed, dresses and then hurries to the dining room to wait for his VIPs. He shudders to think what the Captain would not only say but do if he's caught unprepared yet again. It's still early yet so he makes a detour to the wireless room to see if there's any correspondence for Mr. Mikaelson.

James welcomes him with a friendly smile, handing him a few pages before he even asks. "Don't tell me.. the Captain's biting at your heels with the VIP's."

Damon nods with a sigh. "Thanks. Anything important?"

"Actually...," James finds another report, "this came across early this morning."

Damon studies the dispatch and frowns. "How many nautical miles are we away from this area?"

"Actually Damon, we're heading right into the middle of it." He leans back in his seat but his eyes never leave Damon's.

"Did the Captain see this?" Alarmed, Damon drops his back to the paper to read it over a second time.

"Yes, I did question him. He wasn't too pleased.. He decided that we're safe and ordered we continue on our current course."

Damon turns and looks out over the water. The waves are choppy, churning up huge white caps. Normally he would smile when he sees a pod of dolphins flying alongside the ship but not today. "Can I have a copy?" James nods and hands it to him. Damon leaves, the warning in his hands and a heavy heart beating against his chest wall.

* * *

The maid has already left after helping with her hair and wardrobe, leaving Elena by herself. When she hears the door creek, she doesn't bother to turn around when George closes the door. She finishes her make up, dabbing her pale cheeks with a little rouge. Disgust brews inside of her when she shifts in her chair just as he falls on the bed heavily.

"You're up already?" he asks sarcastically as he turns his head towards her. Elena doesn't bother to return his stare.

"You clearly didn't sleep at all," she responds even though she knows George won't like her attitude.

"You better tone it down," he mutters, "a woman that can't even have children has no right to whine."

No matter how often he reminds her, it always feels like a slap.

* * *

Damon contemplates confronting Captain Forbes-Turner himself but he's certain that the man would do the opposite of what Damon suggests just to spite him. He reaches the dining room, it's slowly starting to fill with the first guests. The only Mikaelson he can see is their First Officer Niklaus sitting alone at the family table, finishing his coffee. _Right, just the man I need to see._

He looks up when Damon approaches and gives him a small smile. They've always gotten along together.

"Officer Mikaelson," Damon starts respectfully, taking his hat off as a show of respect.

Niklaus points at a chair. "No need for formalities, I'm not on duty yet."

Damon sits down and hands him the report. Niklaus flies over the lines, then looks at Damon. "This looks serious. Did the Captain see it?"

Damon nods. "James said he did.. He specifically left instructions not to change our course. His opinion is that we're safe to continue and that he would rather not risk an even later arrival. We're already many hours behind schedule."

Niklaus shakes his head and gets up. "Alright, I think my shift is starting. Thanks Damon, I'll do my best to talk to him." He leaves right before the Mikaelson clan starts filling the room.

* * *

Elena's waits till 10:30 but it appears that George won't be awakening anytime soon. Sucking her lower lip between her teeth, she wonders how angry he'll be if she goes by herself? Hungry, she steps out of the cabin, quietly closing the door behind her. Fortunately she sees a crew member carrying breakfast leftovers from the cabin next to theirs.

"Excuse me, can you bring us breakfast as well? Mr. Lockwood doesn't feel well this morning..."

The young seaman nods with a respectful bow and hurries away. Elena breathes a sigh of relief and goes back inside. George hasn't moved an inch. Shaking her head, Elena looks at him with disgust. If the whole sordid affair wasn't so humiliating, she wouldn't mind in the least if he'd stay with his mistress every night. _If he didn't return in the morning or ever, even better_.

Less than 20 minutes later there's short knock at the door. "Come in," Elena says standing up so she can close the door behind the service man. She's just about to tell them where to put the tray when she stops in her track seeing it's officer Salvatore delivering.

"Good morning, madam." He eyes her keenly as he lays the tray on the table. Surprised that he's here, Elena tries to find her voice.

"Is this your job?" she finally gets out.

"No madam, but I was on the way here so I told the steward that I would bring it," he explains, smiling tightly. I also have a message for you. "Mr. and Mrs. Mikaelson are asking you to have lunch with them."

Elena feels her mouth go dry. His surprise appearance has knocked her off of her game. She should just thank him and send him on his way, specifically out of her cabin. _From her life to be exact_.

"Al... right, officer Salvatore, you can tell them it's an honor to be included, we'll be there at 13:00 if it suits them."

"Of course," Damon nods, "Mr. MIkaelson suggested the same hour." He bows his head and is out of her state room before Elena can form a response. She sits at the table, suddenly not hungry anymore.

 _She needs to try harder._

* * *

Damon leaves _her_ cabin and for some reason his mood suddenly improves. If he's being honest with himself, it has everything to do with the fact she remembers his name. She looks beautiful this morning. Her gold and teal dress tastefully revealing her soft curves. Her shimmering chestnut hair was perfect in a soft up do. Her lips and cheeks were red as an apple. But it's the dark shadows under her eyes that betray her fatigue.

He caught a glimpse of her husband but he didn't really want to think about him. If he did, he might go back there and gives him one unforgettable awakening. Sighing, he walks down the corridor on his way back to deliver Mrs. Lockwood's message to the Mikaelson's. He turns the corner and is immediately stopped by Niklaus Mikaelson.

"Can I have a word with you?"

Damon nods and steps to the side of the corridor with him. "I did talk to him," he starts to say, his voice trailing slightly. Shaking his head, he looks at Damon again. "I'm sorry, I didn't achieve much. The Captain thinks it's their usual warning when a ship is sailing in this area. He believes there's no need to change anything."

Damon nods but the gnawing feeling sticks inside of his gut. He follows Nick back to the dining room to pass on the message, then he goes to take care of his routine duties.

* * *

The lunch reminds Elena of a well choreographed Broadway show. Mr. Mikaelson and George are engaged in an ardent business conversation. She can see that George is very pleased by this new and very profitable connection. Occasionally he'll look at her, silently warning her to play along.

She's sitting next to Sage, Mr. Finn Mikaelson's wife, who happens to be an entertaining companion. Elena finds herself quite fascinated by her free spirit and independence. She even finds herself laughing at some of her tales. Mr. Mikaelson adds to the conversation once in awhile but his wife clearly doesn't need _nor want_ his opinions.

Across from her, the youngest Mikaelson, Kol, is clearly enjoying himself. He drops small comments, witty innuendos at the just the right moment which earns him many disapproving looks from his mother. Elena finds herself liking this family, hopefully she can spend more time with them during the voyage so she's not condemned to wait till George is in the mood to keep her company, although the less time she has to spend with him the better she likes it.

"Officer Salvatore," Sage tilts her head closer to hers. "That man is good looking."

Elena's pulse quickens at hearing _his_ name but she shakes it off immediately, _this is not her game._ Instead she focuses on Sage again and finds it rather inappropriate, the way she follows him with her eyes. To distract herself, she turns to Kol and asks him about his studies in England. Kol gives her a curious gaze.

 _There must be something wrong with her._ His look unnerves her... even he can see right through her.

* * *

By the time they leave the dining room Elena feels exhausted. _It's so tiring to have a conversation where no one is honest, the soul purpose of which is to keep up appearances._ George excuses himself once they leave the room and she knows she probably won't see him till dinner. As things are, she'd happily spend another night alone. She slips on her shawl and then walks around the promenade deck. She stops at the railing and looks down at the water where the ship is cutting through it. The sight is mesmerizing really.

After watching for a few minutes, she continues on her way past the long rolls of deck chairs and the life boats that are secured. She shivers, hoping that they'll never need them. Her shoes clap against the polished wood of the floor. She looks around sighing with relief that for once she avoids running into Officer Salvatore. She returns to her room to change for dinner later. She must have spent more time outside because to her great surprise George is already there.

"Where have you been? It's been hours since we left the dining room."

Elena looks at him shortly. "I could ask you the same thing."

George stands up towering above her and for a second she feels like running from the cabin. _She won't, I'm not his servant to shudder up like a canary in a gilded cage._

"You... better learn to keep your mouth shut, as any well-bred wife knows to do." He glowers at her for several minutes before losing interest. He takes a step to their door. "Hurry up, I hope to catch up with Mr. Mikaelson before they leave."

* * *

They join the Mikaelson's again. The older man talks about the importance of family and goes into detail about raising children and how they should be groomed to take over the family business. He also stresses that it's important that they learn about all of the different fields and angles and how to keep the business successful. Finn agrees, adding to the already boring conversation.

He personally is quite sure that his line-age will continue. The boys, Nicklaus, Finn and Kol are not his only children but they're also the future of the Mikaelson empire. He wants his name to carry on for generations to come. His wife looks disinterested but Elena says nothing, only nods and smiles at the right time.

Sage fights the urge to roll her eyes, Finn takes everything as God's word, although he's probably heard it more than once. Kol is clearly amused. George however... she doesn't like his contemplative face. She takes a look around discreetly to see if Miss Pierce is around but her seat remained empty the entire evening. When they say goodnight it's already dark. Elena would like to stay outside for a bit, but George is two steps ahead of her, heading straight for their cabin. Elena goes to the bathroom, her mind swirling as to why George hasn't left yet to spend the night with _her._ Knowing she'll find out soon enough, she changes into her night gown and steps out of the bathroom. Her breath hitches when she finds he's staring right at her.

"Aren't you leaving for the night?" she can't stop herself from asking.

"No," George's lip twitches in amusement. "You see, Elena, I don't believe you're entirely useless. We have a goal. I need an heir. And you're going to give it to me. All that's left is just to keep trying, so I think I can give my wife a night every now and then.. when I see it fit."

Elena almost doesn't breathe as he holds her captive with his eyes. They're slits like that of a snake. _She won't be a victim._ Her spirit may be damaged but she's not broken. "As you wish, husband." She holds her chin high and lets him yank her on the bed never letting out a sound.

* * *

Damon's looking at the midnight sky and feels like the stars are shining much duller today. He follows his normal routine, that of taking a walk to breathe in the fresh air before he retires for the night. Usually it helps him sleep. It's later than usual though tonight. The ship is mostly quiet, the majority of the passengers having already retired. The noises he hears are coming from the crew members' cabins. He passes a few seamen on the deck, answering their informal goodnight. Yesterday, she was standing right over there when he came by. Yesterday, for a shortest moment they stood next to each other.

Almost like a lightning strike, fire starts to burn through his veins making his heart thunder inside of his chest. He's at a loss for words, realizing that he was hoping that she would be there again, just the two of them.

* * *

 _Huge thanks to Eva. I love you dearly my friend._

 _Huge, massive thanks to all of you. I would truly close up shop if not for all of you._ _Thank you Sirine for reviewing. And also the rest of the other anonymous people that I can't respond to personally._

 _Please check out my other stories. "Edge of Thorns" is winding down and "Tomorrow" which is still in its infancy._

 _I did post a picture of Elena's teal dress on my scarlett2112 fb page._

 _I've made so many wonderful friends on here._ _DE being the vehicle for them. You are ALL such great people. We really have so many talented people in the DE fandom. **Delenasmut** has a fabulous story "Until Death do They Part" and just today posted another "Love Me Again." **Mariah April May's** "The Scandal" is very good. **VitsAsh** has a cute little one shot, 'Remembering Birthdays'. **Deepwater1978** current one is her version of 'The Princess Diaries" as well a new crime story, 'Kiss Me or Kill Me'. **Salvatoreboys4ever** is working on the third book of her series. **TheLittle MissVixen** has the fantastic story 'Some By Virtue Fall' and lastly, I just started reading one of **MovingOnIsNeverEasy** stories. I'm sure these wonderful people would love to hear from some of you._

 _Please click that little button.._

 _Have a wonderful day. Thank you all again._


	4. Day 4

Elena wakes up at the crack of dawn, her eyes snapping wide open as her nightmare fades into oblivion. The gentle sway of the ship as the waves crash into it soon begin to lull her back to sleep. However, contrary to what she wants, going back to sleep, a gnawing feeling keeps creeping into her conscious mind. As hard as she tries to push it away, she can't. She isn't able to forget about the world anymore. George is laying beside her, still deeply locked in dreamland, slumber, thoughts of _her,_ she doesn't know nor does she care. Her only wish is that she could simply disappear into nothingness and start a new life somewhere far away.

She stiffens when she hears him grunt and feels him roll over. Laying as still as a statue, she breathes a sigh of relief when she hears the rhythmic sounds of his breathing again. Pressing her hands together, she lays her head down on them. _When did it all go so horribly wrong?_

Her childhood was happy. When she was a little girl, everyone was good to her. She was her mommy and daddy's little princess, nothing was too good for her. From the time she was very young, they plied her with toys and pets, ending with the finest schools and dresses that money could buy.

She isn't sure when it changed or why. When did she stop being her daddy's little girl and became his tangible asset instead? Her parents probably planned to have more children but whatever their reason was, it never happened.

Soon they sat her down in their opulent living room and explained to her all about family duties and importance of business. She most certainly never got the concept of it, because it somehow escaped her knowledge that she would actually have no choice. If she was old enough and aware of all the implications at that time, she could have done something, anything to run far away from her fate.

But she was told that love is something that comes with time and that only strong foundations, family names and wealth, the same social circle and wise advice from her loved ones can guarantee a successful life and marriage. She was probably naïve but she believed it. And now she's been left to pay the price, a steep one at that.

George may not be satisfied either because so far she managed to prevent his complete victory but he has a plethora of ways to make her feel miserable and inadequate. Lately he takes pleasure in manhandling, using intimacy to brutalize and humiliate her. She shudders to admit that he knows how well it works. He makes sure she feels the remnants of his... attention for days afterwards.

 _This is how 'love' and marriage are supposed to work?_

He lets out a snore behind her and Elena tenses yet again. She can't stay here not even for a minute longer. She knows when he wakes up he will grab her sore shoulder and pull her under him once again just to show her that he can. Her stomach roils at the though of having his hands on her body. She'd choke if he tried to press his filthy lips on hers. The very thought is something that she just cannot face this morning.

Determination begins to burn inside of her. He's so close to breaking her completely but she won't give him the satisfaction, not today. Carefully she sits up and lowers her feet to the floor. As quietly as a mouse, she stands and slips into the bathroom to put a dress on. After pinning her hair, she finds a hat and covers it up. Once more she glances at her husband, disgust billowing like a wildfire, makes her heart race. She needs air, she needs to breathe.

Once outside she hurries to the promenade deck, being careful not to attract anyone's attention. She leans against the rail and closes her eyes to let the wind soothe her worries. It's magical. It's purifying.

"Mrs. Lockwood, what are you doing here this early? Are you alright...?"

* * *

Blowing out a breath, Damon gives report to his replacement and then begins to walk towards his cabin. He had barely drifted off to sleep when a resounding series of knocks on his cabin door awakened him. Stumbling to it, he was about to raise Cain only to swallow his temper when he found First Officer Mikaelson standing there. Second officer Logan Fell, who was supposed to be on the watch, came down with a stomach flu. Since Damon is the Third Officer, it is his job to fill to take his place.

The night goes smoothly though. Damon finishes up just as the sun begins to rise in the eastern sky. He honestly doesn't mind working nights sometimes because the sunrises are beautiful beyond description. He can see that it's going to be a wonderful day too even though the air is still a little crisp this time of year. The waters in the Atlantic are freezing cold. Covering his mouth he yawns widely, fatigue starting to take hold. Shielding his eyes, he stands on the railing to watch the sun come up for a few minutes. Afterwards, he plans to go straight to his cabin to try to at least catch a few hours of sleep.

By sheer happenstance, he catches a glimpse of a flowing girly figure running in the direction of the promenade deck. His heart skitters wildly for a moment because he's pretty sure he knows who it is. Without even thinking about it, he hurries after her.

He lurches to a halt when he gets closer. There she is, more beautiful than ever, strands of her hair escaping from under the hat she's wearing. The dress looks like some kind of a dressing gown. It's flowy and light but it must be just the loose style and floral patterned material. She's sitting at the edge of one of the deck chairs. Her beautiful brown eyes are shrouded by her hands. He can see by the deep rise and fall of her chest that she's breathing in the fresh sea air. It's almost as if she needs to remind herself that to live, she needs to breathe.

The shade of color on her face is rather alarming. She doesn't look well and the thought that she's not stabs at his insides. Damon struggles with himself for about a millisecond before he finally approaches her.

"Mrs. Lockwood, what are you doing out here this early? Is everything alright?"

She freezes for a second, then slowly her hands leave her face and she's looking up at him.

 _She knows that voice._ The contrast to George's usual sarcastic tone is too much. Elena makes an attempt to stand up and collect her dignity but Officer Salvatore, Damon, she's heard him called, is there. Before she can help herself, he's already offering her his hand. She takes it gingerly and is well aware of his firm squeeze when he pulls her forward. She takes a step back and looks aside. "I... didn't feel well this morning, needed some fresh air. I'll be on my way in a minute."

Damon feels a little remorse for interrupting her private moment and he knows he should apologize and give her space but he's unable to do so. His feet simply won't move as he looks into her beautiful yet unhappy face. Her eyes are red-rimmed betraying the fact that she's been crying. What strikes him the most is that her usual fire is nowhere to be seen.

And then his legs move of their own accord and he takes another step towards her, his eyes never leaving her form. His breath hitches when her dress slides lower down her shoulder revealing angry purple bruises to his eyes. _Someone's_ hands clearly left them there. Elena notices his stare and immediately covers her shoulder. Mortified and feeling embarrassed, she quickly skirts around him, mumbling for him to have a good day as she increases the distance between them.

In shock and angry too, Damon watching her retreating form until she disappears around the corner.

* * *

Embarrassed, Elena runs into their cabin not caring who will see her. As soon as she's inside, she pushes the door closed, leaning against it with her back. Closing her eyes, she takes in a big swallow of air. She hurried back as fast as she could. When she opens her eyes, she releases a big sigh of relief when she doesn't see George. Unless he's in their bedroom, he has already left.

However, she finds herself staring right into her maid's face. Elizabeth has been waiting for her. She's shocked at her lady's appearance. She's never seen Mrs. Lockwood in such a state before. The wild look on her face is foreign to the older woman. Elena hates the look of shock and a brief flash of pity that she sees in Elizabeth's face.

Just as she's about to ask Mrs. Lockwood if she's okay, Elena quickly collects herself. She asks the other woman to help her to get cleaned up and ready for breakfast. When Elizabeth nods, Elena excuses herself, saying that she's going to shower before disappearing into her bedroom holding her breath that she won't find her husband there.

* * *

Damon is still in shock after his encounter with Mrs. Lockwood. Just the thought of those ugly purple bruises makes his blood boil. As a result, Damon is too edgy to sleep. Instead of going to take a nap like he had planned, he simply washes his face with cold water and proceeds to do his morning duties. He checks the stands and then heads downstairs to get some breakfast.

Disgust bubbles up inside of him when he finds George chatting with Miss Pierce. She's wearing a rather flirtatious lavender number with a slit up the leg. His gut churns when he sees how she leans forward to give him a view of her ample cleavage. When Mr. Vanderbilt approaches the table, she waves her fan in front of her face. Damon turns away when the tycoon joins the two of them.

They didn't even notice that Damon had been staring at them. If he didn't need his job, he'd throw George overboard himself. Since the two of them are cavorting, he knows that Elena won't subject herself to her husband's further humiliation. She's nowhere to be found. He can't exactly hide his true feelings because when Kol's hand hits his shoulder, the young man is full of mirth.

"Why would Third Officer Salvatore be looking at Mr. Lockwood as if he's an ogre?"

Damon stiffens as the youngest Mikealson suprises him with his astuteness. Once he swallows past the invisible lump in his throat, he glances back at George a moment and then turns to face Kol.

"Good morning Kol, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." When he sees the captain eyeing him skeptically from across the room, Damon gives his full attention to Kol. "Where is your family this morning?"

"They decided to stay in their cabin... but the good news is that Sage and my brother are still coming..." he winks at Damon, who can't help but chuckle at the boy's antics.

"Thank you for the warning," he mutters and tries to decide why he feels so at ease in the young Mikaelson's company.

"Have breakfast with me," Kol points at their table, "I insist."

Damon respectfully nods and joins him at the Mikaelson family table.

"What was the warning yesterday about?" Kol asks, catching him off guard.

"What you mean?" Damon slowly looks at him, tenting his hands in front of him.

Kol gives him a grin. "Well, I heard my brother talking about it with a crew member. I figured I should find out the details."

Damon hesitates for a few moments wondering whether or not he should divulge such information. Since his brother is the first officer, he figures he has nothing to lose so he goes into detail about it. When he finishes, he tries to reassure the young man that it's likely nothing and that they get reports like this regularly. In times such as these, it's to be expected.

But Kol is sharp and sees right through Damon. "You're worried though, yes?"

"I assure you on my honor that if anything should happen we'll do everything possible to prevent any harm."

"Alright, nice formal answer but I guess I asked for it. Thanks for the honesty," he adds and strangely Damon knows it's not sarcasm, he's being genuine. Suddenly some invisible force draws Damon's focus to the dining room's entrance. His mouth parts slightly as he watches her gracefully walk between the tables, finally taking a seat with Miss Kelly Donovan, one of the ship's entertainers.

When he hears Kol chuckle slightly, Damon clears his throat and looks at him. He feels his face heat up but hopes that his red cheeks aren't on parade for all to see. Kol smiles knowingly then takes a long pull from his coffee cup, his eyes full of mirth but never leaving Damon's. Before he can respond to Kol's rather suggestive look, he's saved from further embarrassment when Finn and Sage arrive for breakfast. _Perfect timing._ He sets his cup down and then stands to pull the chair out for her.

"Thank you, Officer Salvatore." She smiles indicating her good mood. Damon just hopes it's not because of him. Finn is as broody as he always seems to be. Kol however looks dangerously amused which is usually not a good sign. Damon manages not to send Elena looks every five seconds which is rather impressive given the circumstances. He looks in George's direction instead and what he sees worries him. George, having noticed his wife's presence and her dining companion doesn't look at all happy. Damon is disgusted. The man has no right to judge her given that _his_ company is highly inappropriate. That fact clearly doesn't bother him at all. _Bastard_ , Damon thinks to himself.

* * *

Elena didn't give much thought to going to breakfast, with Elizabeth's help she's presentable in no time. She looks at herself in the mirror, smoothing her dress a little as she does so. It's royal purple with a lavender colored floral overlay that drops to her knees. The same royal purple wraps around her middle just below her breasts, accentuating her curves. Despite her unsavory husband, she takes pride in her appearance. She thanks her maid while slipping on a sweater to conceal her bruises and then heads for the dining room. She spots him at Miss Pierce table immediately and has a feeling that she should just turn around and leave. She hesitates for a moment and on a second thought... w _hy should 'she' leave?_ Elena sees the entertainer lady, Kelly... something and on impulse she walks over to her table with her head held high.

"May I join you? I don't like eating alone and my husband is nearly finished."

Kelly looks in George's direction and warmly smiles at Elena. "Of course Mrs. Lockwood, it'd be an honor."

Elena blushes when she sees Kelly's surprise, this is probably highly inappropriate but Elena doesn't care. She takes a seat at Kelly's table and voices a compliment about her performance last night when she sang and danced for the crowd. She's wearing a lovely periwinkle long sleeved dress with gray trim around the wrists and ankles. They quickly settle into a pleasant light conversation. The woman has no filter and soon enough, Elena is laughing and nodding at her jokes. She is about to pick up her coffee cup when Georges shadow falls on the table. Knowing she's in trouble, she slowly looks up at him and...

"Miss Donovan," he addresses her. With his eyes fixed on his Elena's, he adds, "I'm sure you understand if I borrow my wife for a little."

* * *

Damon almost panics when he sees _Elena's_ husband approach her. George doesn't look at all happy with her. Just the though of him laying a hand on her makes his heart start to slam against his ribs. He tenses even more as when she slowly looks up at him. The Mikaelsons's seem oblivious to his distress, all but one of them that is. Kol also sees Mr. Lockwood approaching his wife with a rather gruff look on his face. He leans closer to Sage.

"Sage, darling, what do you think, should we invite the lovely Mrs. Lockwood and her not so nice husband to our table? The poor thing doesn't get to have much fun with that pompous idiot..." Finn lifts his head to protest but Sage is already on board.

"Of course we should. Finn, sweetheart, would you be so kind and bring them to our table? You know George Lockwood admires you..." Finn nearly snorts but he does get up and approaches the Lockwood's.

"Good morning ladies, Mr. Lockwood? My wife and I would like you to join us."

George stops himself from doing anything that could spoil his business ventures with that family later on. "Mr. Mikaelson, we will be pleased, of course, thank you." He helps Elena stand up and to his great surprise, Finn offers his arm to that show woman. They all end up at the MIkaelson's table. Damon looks at Kol who looks like the cat who ate the canary. _He's enjoying this too much._

Although _she_ never looks in his direction, Damon slowly relaxes when she and her husband join in the conversation. But he doesn't miss the discreet way the man occasionally casts an eye on Miss Pierce. She is dressed to the nines in a gold dress with brocade flowers. When she's joined by the Captain, George suddenly chokes on his coffee. With the group's attention on him, Damon happens to meet the Captain's rather discordant stare. Swallowing thickly, Damon turns his attention back to Finn Mikaelson who is laughing at one of Miss Donovan's jokes.

After they finish, George stands and pulls the chair out for Elena. "Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson, Mrs. Mikaelson." George wishes the Mikaelsons a good day. He even goes so far as to give a polite look to Kelly. They're about to leave when Sage grabs his arm, stopping him. "Oh, Mr. Lockwood, I was thinking you should encourage your wife to join us, my mother in law and myself I mean, for our afternoon tea? We can make plans over lunch."

 _Dear George_ has no chance to refuse this offer, Damon thinks. He just nods and adds more thanks and bows and leads his wife away.

"Man, you have it bad," Kol leans discreetly in his direction. "I'd be all for letting that poor woman have some fun, she looks like she needs it with that pompous idiot of a husband but I'm afraid she's not the type?" The look that washes over Damon's face stops him from any further teasing. _This voyage might become even more interesting._

He doesn't know how true it turns to be.

* * *

The night is beautiful, the stars completing the picture and Elena enjoys being outside. She purposely avoids the promenade deck in case Officer Salvatore would happen to be there again. Instead, she's standing between two of the lifeboats on A deck. He won't find her here, she thinks. The boats line either side of A deck but there is ample room for the ship's passengers to enjoy a leisurely stroll.

The fresh, salty smell of sea air and the gentle sounds of the ocean soothe her mind. She's more than ready for this day to end but she's too nervous to sleep so she slipped out of their cabin to take a walk. George won't be coming for her tonight and while she should feel angry, she's simply grateful for the reprieve however short it may be. She's leaning against the railing when a figure appears next to her, but keeps a respectable distance.

"You don't need to hide from me," he says quietly. "I'll do whatever you want me to do, if it's not to seek your company..."

Elena almost lets out a sob. _How is it possible that a man can be so thoughtful and kind without expecting anything in return?_ She wishes she could start her life over again. Differently. As someone else. Maybe she'd get the chance to meet someone who'd love her for her, who'd care whether or not she's happy. Someone who would touch her without it hurting. Someone whose kiss would shatter the earth and not demand her submission.

Damon can see her eyes glisten which he suspects are tears and his heart's breaking for her.

"Should I leave you alone?"

For the first time in her life, Elena wants to be selfish, wants something for herself. What it would be like if _Damon_ kissed her? What would if feel like to be in his arms? How did she even let herself come this far that she's having thoughts like this? She releases a small whimper, "No..."

Damon is too stunned to even breathe. _Did he hear her right? Does she want him to stay?_

Before any of these questions can be answered he watches in slow motion as Elena suddenly turns to him, her small hands drawing him closer. "I'm sorry...," she whispers and then her lips press onto his. They are full and soft and he savors every slide of them against his own. Her hands on his uniform are clumsy and shaking but he's never in his life tasted anything so good. He can't help but take the initiative, consequences be damned. His arms encircle her petite form in a tight embrace, his mouth opens over hers and his teeth catch her lower lip in a gentle bite. They sink into it and he soothes it with his tongue, savoring the fresh taste, hoping to prolong this moment forever.

Although the kiss is slow he is soon out of breath and needs to pause but his lips never stop touching hers. The air between them crackles with electricity, his desire for her is stronger than anything he's ever known before. He's unwilling to release her as he's afraid that he'll never again get to join their mouths or embrace her in his arms. He never wants to let go. After a moment, she unwillingly does take a step back, her eyes rising to meet his. She never wants to break the invisible connection that was born in this precious moment. _She never wants to leave him._

"I'm sorry," she repeats. "I shouldn't have done it. But I..."

"But you?" Damon asks, gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I... I.. At least once in my life I wanted _to know,"_ she shakes her head sadly, knowing that it cannot happen again. "It doesn't change anything I know that but it does mean something precious to me. It was selfish." They stare wordlessly for several minutes and then she whispers, "Damon."

His name sounds so different coming from her mouth, he wishes that he could listen to it till the end of time. With tears in her eyes, she skirts around him and slowly leaves his sight. Breathing heavily, he grabs onto the ship railing, squeezing it tightly. As he watches the ship cut through the glassy ocean surface, his mind drifts to her soft lips and her beautiful voice. _How will he ever recover from this?_

* * *

 _Love you, Eva. Thank you so much for everything you do for me. I would be lost without you._

 _A huge thank you to all of you. I'm so happy that you seem to like this story. There's still a few chapters left to post. You're the best. And yes, in case you're wondering, this ship is afloat longer than Titanic was._

 _I posted Elena's purple dress and Katherine's gold one on my FB page._

 _I did post the first chapter of 'This Isn't What We Meant" yesterday. I hope you'll give it a look. It's a dark story but in a much different vein than "Edge of Thorns". We're nearing the end of it. "Tomorrow" will be updating next._

 _Have a safe and wonderful day and thank you all again._


	5. Day 5

Still on the cusp between sleep and wake, Elena rolls over in bed. A gentle breeze is blowing in through the open port hole causing a loose strand of hair to fly in her mouth. Rolling over, she buries her face in the pillow and pulls her covers up. Unable to get comfortable, she shifts once more, the warm rays of the sun filter and shine in her eyes. They snap open and when the sun blinds her momentarily, she throws her forearm over her face to shield them. Several minutes pass before she finally sits up to get out of bed.

When she glances at the clock, she's beyond surprised at how well she slept. Since George obviously spent the night with Miss Pierce, she didn't have to deal with him. The rare moment of solitude is a welcome treat. Her thoughts drift to the kiss she initiated last night. Reflexively, her fingertips ghost her mouth, she can almost taste him, feel him. She doesn't want that magical moment to become a bad memory, not it or a single moment that she got to spend with _him._ He truly understands her, something that George has never been able to or has even tried. When she went outside last evening, she didn't want to think of the dismal state of her marriage or the fact that their voyage will be over in just a few days and that she will probably never see Damon again.

 _Damon..._

He is the reason for the guilt that is eating at her insides now. She _used him._ As much as it hurts, there is nothing that she can offer him in return. Strangely enough though, she feels no guilt at all towards her husband. It's not because of his current or even any of the past lovers, it's because George has never loved her, she's never been more sure of anything. What she is certain of is that he will never love anyone more than he loves himself. _The pompous boor that he is._

Elena closes her eyes and when she does, she can still feel Damon's soft yet firm lips massaging hers. How will she ever go back to her old life when she got a taste of something different? _And beautiful._

* * *

Whoever is watching over Damon's well being, they rather assuredly are falling down on the job. He couldn't sleep last night no matter how hard he tried. He tossed and turned, even went into the kitchen to get some milk and still sleep eluded him.

Every time he closed his eyes, he would see Elena's eyes, hear Elena's voice, and feel Elena's fingers or smell her hair as it shimmered in the moonlight. It wasn't only her. As dawn was beginning to break over the horizon, he finally lapsed into a light sleep only to be awakened when one of the other crewmen came to tell him that the Captain was waiting to see him. It was the very last thing that Damon wanted to attend to at such an early hour. Wondering what else could possibly go wrong, he tells Charles that he needs to dress and then he'll go to the bridge. The young man nods and then takes his leave. Damon pushes the door shut and leans against it. Despite the beautiful sunrise, his thoughts are rather black.

The Captain is dismissing Charles just as Damon arrives. He looks at him unkindly and starts without any further delay. "It hasn't escaped my attention that someone, you might be unnecessarily worrying our guests. I can assure you, Mr. Salvatore, that despite that warning, this ship is perfectly safe as are our passengers. Do I need to remind you that spreading this kind of information is a serious violation of your duties...? One, I might add, that will not be tolerated. Are we clear?"

Somehow to his utter amazement Damon manages to stay calm and keep his voice low. He pauses for a moment when Elena's face pops into his mind. He latches on to it and uses it as an anchor to keep his temper in check. He takes a deep breath and then speaks. "Sir, the only person that I shared the information with is First Officer, Nicklaus Mikaleson. I only talked to his brother, Kol when he asked me about it directly. You should know, Sir, that he had already heard about how dangerous these waters can be from Officer Mikaelson himself. We discussed it but I didn't provide him with anything that he didn't already know ."

"If you took care of the Mikaelsons..."

Damon doesn't wait and starts a report on what the Mikaelson clan did the previous day, the list of their activities which is getting more and more ridiculous. "As you know, Sir, there was a tug of war on A deck, both Kol and Finn and even Mr. Mikaelson Sr, participated in. Then the men went to the gym while their women had tea with Mrs. Lockwood. After the gym, the men went to the smoking lounge to have cigars and brandy." When he finishes, the Captain is silent for a few minutes. Damon considers asking if he is dismissed when the older man starts talking again.

"I knew... I just knew you'd be trouble when I first saw your name on the manifest. Those parents of yours," he utters under his breath. "Just like you father, you lack discipline and respect for authority."

Stunned, Damon's mouth parts slightly at what he's hearing. Is the Captain really speaking about his parents? How does he even know them?" He tries to contemplate this new information but can come up with nothing. Damon has never been one to back down so he keeps his eyes firmly on the man. Damon's father was an officer himself, having navigated the ocean for most of his life. Many times when he was just a young boy, his dad would tell him the story about how he met his mother when she was crossing from England to become an American. "Sir?" he finally manages to blurt out.

Captain Forbes-Turner suddenly realizes the inappropriateness of the conversation and waves Damon off. Just after he steps out of the Captain's cabin, Damon catches a bitter sounding, "Your mother should never have left England." Too shocked to speak, Damon starts to walk back to his room. A million questions swirl inside of his head as he pauses at the railing to look down at the shimmering sea.

* * *

"I missed you at breakfast!" Kol greets him cheerfully back on the deck. The gregarious young Mikaelson gives Damon's shoulder a friendly squeeze. Looking up, Damon gives him a tight smile before turning away. "I'm sorry, the Captain needed me to report."

Kol grins at the lack of enthusiasm. "And you loved every minute of it, considering your happy face." Damon says nothing and follows alongside, the two easily aligning their steps as Kol leads the way to his cabin. He keeps the door open for the officer who he considers his friend. "I've got some 'leftovers' and we'll have bring the coffee?"

Damon gives him almost genuine smile. Never would he have expected Kol, the son of a prominent family who is swimming in wealth and opulence to be such a friendly guy. But when he thinks about it, First Officer Mikaelson is also quite congenial and down to earth as the saying goes. Kol steps out of his cabin and flags down a crew member to deliver a message to the kitchen and then shuts his cabin door. He gestures for Damon to take a seat and when he does, Kol turns a chair around and sits down, his arms resting across the back of the chair. "So what is it? The Captain, the warning or pretty Mrs. Lockwood?"

Damon sighs, "Sorry I'm not exactly a good companion this morning. I'll tell you about it later."

Kol nods in acceptance although he's quite curious about the young officer. "As you wish. I will tell you though that we had quite the view this morning when Mrs. Lockwood came without her husband again. She kept to herself, sitting all alone on a corner table. Dear George arrived when she was halfway through her breakfast and had the actual nerve to reproach her for something or other. He was discreet about it but I could tell by his facial expressions that he was none too pleased with her. There's something about that guy... I sort of don't buy his 'I'm so noble' attitude. I'm shocked that anyone does..."

He notices Damon's sour face and stops talking. "Alright Damon, between you and me, what's going on between you, Mrs. Lockwood and her bastard of a husband?" he pauses for a moment for effect before continuing, "Because you, officer Salvatore do not look like the type of guy who has fun and makes a profit off of married women. She isn't that kind of a lady either. So what is it?"

Damon looks at Kol unhappily, hesitating about how much he can say here. Somehow he knows that he can trust this man. He drops his eyes and shakes his head almost imperceptibly. Finally he raises his head. "I... like her. More than..."

Kol nods and rolls his eyes. "I can tell." Damon shakes his head no. "It doesn't matter, she's not _that_ kind of lady and I don't seek _fun_. But I do want her happy and safe. I think her husband's abusing her."

* * *

Elena finishes up the last bite of her food. After dabbing the corners of her mouth with her napkin, she lays it on the table. She takes a drink of water, looking around as she does. He's nowhere to be seen so she quickly gets up to leave. With the scene he almost caused at breakfast still fresh in her mind, she decides to go for a walk on the promenade deck rather than risk running into him in their cabin. He may think otherwise but she's no fool. He wanted to play nice to cover up the fact that he wasn't at breakfast in time or that he wasn't with her at all.

"Mrs. Lockwood...," Elena hears as she's darting around the tables to get to the door. She turns around and sees Kelly Donovan. She likes the woman, she's been nothing but kind to her, no fake smiles, no exaggerated or phony displays of affection. With her, what you see is what you get and for that, Elena is grateful. The corners of her mouth lift, a genuine smile lights up her face. "Miss Donovan, how are you doing today?"

"I was wondering if you'd join me for a walk. I can give you a small tour of the backstage area if you'd like?"

"I would love to," Elena gushes, immediately liking the prospect of doing something new and different rather than walking around, unhappy thoughts plaguing her mind as she tries to avoid running into both her husband and the kind young man who doesn't deserve to be dragged into her misery.

The two women spend a nice sunny afternoon exploring the ship. They spend some time chatting on A deck while watching a pod of dolphins trying to keep up with the ship. Elena even dares to have a cigarette. Even though she coughed and sputtered, she liked being able to rebel just a little bit.

Kelly takes her into the kitchen where the head chef gives her a peek at what he's conjuring up for the evening meal. From there, she takes her to her own cabin where they chat for awhile before going back outside. As they walk along, she introduces Elena to different crew members, housekeepers, bartenders and others that help with her show. Kelly is a very congenial woman, she smiles and says a few words to everyone they pass. They're less formal and smile genuinely at Elena. If they're wondering why she's there, they aren't obvious about it. Meeting these nice people makes Elena wonder, and not for the first time, how different her life might be if she hadn't been born into money.

Later they return to the dining room but it's still too early for another meal. Elena asks the bartender to serve them a light and refreshing cocktail, insisting to Kelly that the drinks are on her. As soon as the man slides them over, Elena picks up her glass. After thanking Kelly for a nice walk, they clink them together and take a long sip.

"My pleasure, Mrs. Lockwood. Honestly, it's not often that I meet passengers who appreciate my performances. Usually it feels like I'm invisible up on that stage." She pauses to have another sip of her drink. "All of these people are too busy celebrating their own importance to pay attention to me." She smiles at Elena, "I'm sorry for being so forthright."

"Oh, I don't mind, it's a nice change," Elena smiles at her, although it doesn't reach her eyes.

Kelly considers her for a moment. "Well, you know where to find me if you need... help of any kind?"

Elena feels like this woman can see right through her. She's not sure what exactly she means but she's quite certain it's genuine. She stares at her for a moment and then takes the last swallow of her cocktail. Before setting off for her cabin, she inclines her head in gratitude and takes her leave.

* * *

Having spent most of the morning with Officer Salvatore and his family, Kol is relieved to have a little bit of alone time. He's lounging underneath a wide parasol on the promenade deck. When he hears a throat clearing noise he looks up, smiling when he sees it's one of the waiters. It's a warm day and he could use a little refreshment so he tells the young man to bring him a bourbon on the rocks. As soon as it's delivered, he takes a big pull, savoring the familiar burn as it goes down.

He leans back and with his feet up, he stretches out his leg and relaxes back into the chair. He looks around, watching, considering and thinking about his target. It's his specialty, manipulating people for fun, harmless fun really. But today, he has his sights on someone new but this time his ideas are more malevolent than harmless. He was shocked to hear what Damon told him about George Lockwood and his wife. Of course he doesn't have any proof that the man is a monster but he definitely believes what Damon told him. Even the thought of someone laying their hands on a woman, any woman burns like fire inside of him.

As he scans the crowd on this lovely afternoon, only one thought keeps repeating in his head. _Water, water, and yes, more water._ He is so deep in thought that he doesn't hear his brother's approach until Niklaus pulls a chair beside him. It's the dragging sound that awakens him from his reverie.

"I don't like this face of yours, brother?" He grins, chuckling when Kol greets him with an annoyed look.

"And why do you always think the worst about my intentions?" He stares at his older brother as he takes another swallow of his bourbon.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you're such _an irresponsible boy_ , only thinking about fun, putting ladies' honor in jeopardy," he starts to say, an amused look on his face when Kol quirks his brows. "As I was saying, you also seem to enjoy ruining our parents' grievous efforts to settle you down?" Niklaus finishes, with air quotes, having mentioned their parents usual tirade.

"Ah, that," Kol feigns disinterest. He likes this brother of his, they usually get along well, both have a bit of a rebellious nature that drives their father crazy but earns him more freedom than their elder brothers, Finn and Elijah get.

"You're angry," Niklaus realizes surprised, sliding his chair even closer.

"I'm not," he raises his hand, aware that Niklaus can see right through him.

"Yes. You. Are."

"Brother, if I was, do you really think I would tell you? I can't have you ruining my plans now can I?"

Niklaus sighs and leans back in his own chair. He is well aware he won't be able to stop Kol when he's in this kind of mood. Still as the older brother, he has an obligation to try to talk some sense into him. "Listen, Kol, whatever you're up to, I'm begging you, please don't do anything stupid."

"What are you talking about, when have I ever done anything stupid?"

Niklaus snorts. "Yeah, whatever."

"Alright, brother, I won't do anything stupid. Are you happy now?"

First Officer Mikaelson stares at him for a good long time. He doesn't feel happy at all with his promise because he knows his younger brother all too well. But having no other recourse, it will have to do for now. He picks up Kol's drink and finishes what's left in the glass. Needing to return to duty, he points his finger at Kol then turns around and disappears among the crowd.

* * *

Having been told by George to dress to the nines this evening, Elena spends the better part of an hour trying to decide what to wear. After much debate, Elena chooses a yellow green dress with a silk floral motif. Green silk ribbon drapes around the sides and under her breasts and trims the edges of the skirt to form a bow in the back that sits at her knees. Her hair is styled loosely on her head with pretty hair combs to hold it up. While Elizabeth helps Elena to put the finishing touches on her attire and hair, she can't help but wonder about her husband.

She's not sure why George suddenly decided to put so much effort into dressing for dinner although she suspects it has something to do with the Mikaelson family. It's not hard to surmise that he'd like to earn their bank accounts. It would really be good for George's business if they were to transfer their considerable wealth in his bank. She also knows that it's all an act to gain points with his own father who is hesitant about making him a full partner.

"Tell Elizabeth to do something with your hair, this loose style doesn't look respectable enough. The Mikaelson family are traditionalists. I will not allow you to raise any eyebrows," he scolds, tucking a clean handkerchief into his front pocket.

Elena looks into the mirror, her eyes meeting the older woman's. She just smiles and tightens the style. It looks presentable but she hates it. It hurts her, not that George cares. He doesn't notice when her eyes drift to see him preening in front of his own mirror. _There he is.._ All he cares about is trying to impress potential business interests.

"Why are you so sure they'll expect us for dinner?" she says aloud.

"I ran into Kol Mikaelson on the promenade deck. We had drinks and then he invited us to join them." He adjusts his tie and speaks without bothering to look at her. "Frankly, Kol is the least important member of the family. He's sort of a black sheep but his word still carries some weight. Definitely his invitation."

Elena finishes up just in time so she doesn't have to listen to George's usual incessant tapping while he waits for her to finish.

The dining room is just beginning to fill when they arrive for dinner. Kol is already in place, standing next to his parents. As soon as Kol sees them, he waves them over to join them. Elena watches both the parents for any hint of disapproval, but there's none. They're both too much of classy, or is it possible they'd be truly kind people?

Not long after the Lockwood's arrive, the rest of the Mikaelson clan is in place. Esther is wearing a gold ivory silk charmeuse with pearl beaded lace trim. Her assymetrical skirt is hobbled on one side and trained at the rear. She looks quite regal, Elena thinks.

Sage, on the other hand, is wearing a sleeveless black satin number with a bead and fabric net overlay. The ruched cummerbund style waist accentuates her amble curves. It's really a rather risqué dress that compliments both her vibrant red hair and personality. She is also wearing a diamond choker with a ruby drop that draws attention to her cleavage. She looks quite lovely, her attire is a good fit for her flamboyant personality.

Sage tries to make Kol leave his seat so she can sit next to Elena but he has an attitude this evening and refuses to move. Rather than make a scene, Sage ends up opposite Elena, while Kol stays seated next to her and is opposite to Finn.

George gives his full attention to the head of the family. Kol is more than happy to ignore their boring business discussion and entertain the very lovely Mrs. Lockwood. _She's truly sweet._

In a way, he's glad Damon isn't here because he's not exactly in the position to defend the lady's honor, it may just complicate things. The dinner is a pleasant event, surprisingly. Once again it's pretty late when they stand up to retire for the night.

 _"Sorry, Elena..."_ Kol apologizes to her in his thoughts for what he's about to do. When he helps her to stand, he deliberately brushes her shoulder and squeezes her arm in the process, immediately feeling guilty when she jerks violently and lets out a painful cry. Both Sage and his mother immediately jump to her defense but Kol doesn't release her until he manages to push the short sleeve of the dress a bit lower, revealing the angry purple marks that mar her skin.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. Lockwood, did I hurt you?"

Elena's horrified when she sees everyone looking at her shoulder. "No! No, it was..." She knows if she doesn't play this right, she'll have more bruises before the night is over. "The bed is poorly secured and planked. Between that and the movement of the ship, it seems I'm falling all the time."

"She's really quite clumsy," George remarks while walking over to his wife. Elena just nods, unsure of how to save the situation.

While his family makes a fuss about their new nice friend, Kol looks up, his eyes boring right into George's. George swallows thickly then places his hand against Elena's lower back to lead her out of the dining room.

Despite his anger at her, he suspects that he would be well off to keep his hands off of her tonight. Once she's inside of their stateroom, George hurries to Katherine's suite. After he's had his fill of her, he collapses onto the bed beside her. Katherine falls asleep almost immediately but sleep eludes George, he cannot get that cold and fierce warning gaze out of his mind.

* * *

 _I love Kol!_

 _Thank you, Eva. You help me in so many ways. I am a loss to think about where I'd be without you._

 _Huge thanks to all of you as well. You're the very best. I so appreciate each and everyone of you._

 _I did post the dresses that Elena, Sage and Esther are wearing on my scarlett2112 fb page if you're interested._

 _"This Isn't What We Meant" will resume as soon as I post the final chapter of EOT. "Tomorrow" still has much left to tell._

 _I wrote this story for Salvatoreboys4ever. She's venture into the AU world with "Captive of Her Beauty". Delenadreams has a cute little o/s "The Crush"._

 _This story still has a few chapters left to post._

 _Have a wonderful day everyone. Thank you all again._


	6. Day 6

A tiny bit of pink is creeping in through his port hole. Damon shifts onto his side to glance at the clock. It's early but he's always been an early riser, even when he was a kid. He never wanted to miss even a minute of daylight, he loved playing outside whether it was in the summer sun or the winter's snow. Even though summer is his favorite time of the year, he loved to take walks in the mountains and pick the wildflowers with his mom in the springtime, the beautiful blends of colors and smells are mesmerizing. Autumn too when the leaves change and the whole landscape is vivid with color. Damon hopes to retire there someday.

He lays back and closes his eyes again. He's not in a hurry to get up or to open them this time because she's right there, behind his closed eyelids. All night she was with him, keeping him company as he finished up his rounds before retiring to his cabin. He can feel his heart in his throat when he wonders where she was yesterday. Is she alright, did _he_ hurt her again?

He can't help but ask himself if his kiss has lingered with her as the taste of her lips has lingered with him? Unconsciously he reaches up, touching his fingertips to his mouth, he can't let go of it, his lips still tingle where they joined with hers.

Although he made an effort to look around while he was doing his duties, he didn't catch even a glimpse of her. On duty, he wasn't able to stop for dinner but he did take a peak in the first class dining room. She wasn't there nor did he find her roaming the ship's decks later that evening. His heart fell to his stomach in disappointment when she didn't come but what did he expect really? She's a married woman. His main concern is her safety but he can't deny that he wanted to see her, touch her and yes, kiss her again.

With a sigh he gets up and after washing his face, he puts on his uniform. There's no need for him to prolong his mental torture anymore so he takes a deep breath and steps out of his cabin to begin his day. His first stop is at the wireless room to check on any new dispatches, James hands him a few and of course another warning is one of them. A frown forms while he's reading it. He hands it back to James. After thanking him, he decides to confide in Niklaus again, although he's sure it won't make any difference. Once he steps into the dining room he searches for _her._ He sighs in relief when he finds her sitting with Kelly Donovan, her husband nowhere in sight.

"You should stop with these looks," of course, he should be used to it by now, Kol Mikaelson appears out of nowhere and stands by his left ear.

"And you should stop trying to give me a heart attack," Damon replies with a small smile, the boy's nothing if not fun.

"Well," Kol continues to their table, clearly expecting Damon to follow him, "It's almost became a routine by now. You can't blame me for trying to have some fun on this boring ship." He sits down and his face lights up with mischief, "Yesterday evening though... you missed all the fun!"

"What you mean?" Damon's not sure what to think about his innuendo. He looks up, thanking the waitress when she gives them each a cup of coffee.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood joined us for dinner, it was mostly boring of course, but I have to give it to you, Mrs. Lockwood is lovely."

"That's all?" he asks, hope simmering low in his belly.

"Of course," he chuckles and with a twinkle in his eyes, he swats Damon playfully on the arm. "Wouldn't you consider it fun?"

Damon shakes his head at the boy's antics. For a moment his eyes find Elena's form just as she's leaving with Kelly. Whether she saw him or not, he doesn't know but she left without giving him a look.

* * *

Elena pours cream and a spoonful of sugar into her coffee. She picks it up, taking a long swallow, closing her eyes at the rich taste. After sitting down, she looks at her table mate. It feels good to be with Kelly Donovan. She is very much enjoying sharing a nice meal with the woman. Her thoughts drift to George when Kelly excuses herself to use the bathroom. He was back in their cabin before sunrise but he only muttered something about her not waking him up for breakfast in the morning. He didn't even bother to look at her before he collapsed on his half of the bed. Before Elena could utter a word, he was already snoring.

When she woke up the second time, she was as quick and as quiet as a church mouse so she could depart and enjoy something to eat without him. Her plans changed when she saw Kelly sitting alone. She walked over to the table and Kelly immediately invited her to join her. Soon they were chatting over the delicious coffee and pastry. The moment _he_ entered the room, she sensed his presence immediately, her breath catching in her throat for a moment as she swallowed past the lump. She tried so hard but at one point she simply had to look his way. He was sitting at the Mikaelson table with Kol. When her heart starts to pound against her chest, she quickly turns away. _What if he tells him about what happened yesterday?_

Kelly stops talking. Elena takes another sip of her drink and then turns her attention back to the other woman. She forces a smile as she sets her cup down. Her belly roils but somehow she makes it through breakfast without looking at him again. _It is killing her._

After finishing up, the two women take a stroll along A Deck and then Kelly suggests they go to the promenade deck. They find a table and order themselves each a cocktail. While sipping it, Elena watches all the people spending time outside. It's rather warm today. Children are playing and screaming with delight as they play hopscotch and toss balls. The older ones are playing shove the puck in the sun. As much as she loves kids, the thought of bearing George's child is repulsive. He would treat their baby as an asset rather than a person who needs love and affection, it's how he treats her after all. Sometimes she wonders if maybe he's right, maybe there is something wrong with her? Maybe she can't have kids? It's not like they haven't tried.. Sighing, a little bit of melancholy begins to burn low in her belly. She forces a smile when notices Kelly eyeing her.

"I wish I could start somewhere else as someone else...," she pauses in surprise. She doesn't know where this came from. Kelly doesn't even blink.

"Maybe you can?"

"I... what do you mean?" Elena is stunned as she looks at Kelly intently.

"I mean, if you want it badly enough, you will find a way. I'm not saying it would be easy, it won't be. In my opinion, you may and probably will regret it, perhaps more than once but if you really want to leave and start a new life, it can be done. I did..."

"You...?"

"Yes.. I left my husband, he was always drunk and rough with me. I fell in love with a sailor," she pauses, shaking her head, a small laugh leaving her mouth. She raises her eyes to meet Elena's again. "It didn't work out for us but my love for the sea, it didn't die and so here I am. I realize it's different for you but you should know that you are not powerless. That poor excuse for a man that calls himself your husband is nothing more than a coward. If you're not with him because of the money then I don't believe he has anything else to offer you."

"I know I must look pathetic to you... My parents..." Elena responds quietly, dropping her eyes to her hands that are joined in her lap.

"Your parents allow him to do whatever he pleases with you?" When she nods, Kelly reaches for her hands and pats them gently. "Then I'd say you have no obligation to these people. Trust me, _Elena,_ This is not what life is supposed to look like. This is not what _love_ is supposed to look like."

Elena nods and fixes her eyes on the horizon, _his_ face filling her mind. "I'm starting to get it."

* * *

Elena is sitting down, enjoying the book she brought along for the trip. When she hears the door open, she looks up to find her husband approaching her. He eyes her skeptically while taking off his suit coat. He hangs it up and then pulls up the chair beside her.

"What did you do today?" George asks in conversational tone.

Her eyes peruse his fit form. Despite the bastard he is behind closed doors, he is a handsome man. However, his looks lost their effect on her a long time ago. She doesn't feel the need to lie, not anymore. "I had a nice breakfast and after that I spent some time with Mrs. Donovan. We went for a walk on the promenade deck afterwards. It was quite lovely actually." Elena doesn't miss the disdainful look in his eyes when she mentioned Kelly's name.

George gets up and walks over to the bar to pour himself a glass of vodka. He takes a long pull without even flinching. He quickly refills it and then moves to stand in front of her. "The entertainer? Again? Can't you find yourself more appropriate company?"

"Like Mrs. Pierce? I probably could," Elena replies without malice or even a hint of sarcasm.

George presses his lips together and frowns. There's something different about his wife. No fight, no fear... almost like... she doesn't care? Could it be that she told someone...? "I think we might spend the evening together? You can show me around the decks after dinner," he says aloud, taking another sip from his tumbler.

She meets his stare and somehow manages to keep her face impassive. Yet she can't help but wonder what his suggestion even means. Why suddenly after all this time does he want to spend time with her? Picking up the bookmark, she puts it in place and then lays her book on the table. When she meets his eyes again, she sees right through him. Ms. Kelly was right, he _is_ a coward.

What irks him the most is that he's not sure if the Mikaelsons picked up on or put two and two together about the state of their marriage. It troubles him too that he has no idea where he stands with his wife. This new aloof Elena is not to his liking. He _can't_ afford to lose her, because of his and her family. "Well?" George snaps, bringing her out of her reverie.

"As you wish," Elena replies but her tone still isn't what he's used to. Without saying another word, she gets up and walks into their bedroom, closing the door behind her. Pressing her back against the door, she closes her eyes, her mind vivid with only one thought, _If George fears he could lose her, maybe it's a possibility._

* * *

Damon pauses at the railing. He grips it tightly and stares out at the vast expanse of ocean in front of him. There's a brisk wind today, making the sea a little choppy. He inhales a big gulp of fresh and sighs heavily. He has a busy afternoon. Not only did he have his usual duties, he also had to deal with a couple of drunk crew members and of course keeping tabs on the Mikaelson family. After reporting their day's activities to Captain Forbes-Turner, he had to listen to complaints from Miss Pierce about the running water in her cabin. He wasted no time in tracking down one of the maintenance workers to take care of it.

Now that he has five minutes of free time, he drops his eyes and shakes his head. He wonders where George is and if he's back with his wife. That very thought makes his mood even darker. After taking one more pull of air, he heads back to his cabin to change for dinner. On the way back he runs into Kelly Donovan. He knows that she's been spending time with Mrs. Lockwood. Damon is glad, quite frankly. Anytime she isn't with that brute of a husband, Damon can breathe a little easier.

He can't resist the overwhelming urge that compels him to pull out a chair and sit down next to her. With a drink next to her on the table, Kelly looks up from her magazine and smiles when she sees who it is. She actually shouldn't be drinking because she performs this evening but Damon knows she a professional and her performance will be top notch as it always is. Miss Kelly is relentless, _although the people watching her hardly appreciate her efforts._

"Officer Salvatore?" she gives him a small smile, laying her magazine on her lap.

Damon chuckles. "How was your day, Miss Kelly?"

"If you're curious about a certain Mrs...? You could just ask, you know?" she teases but she gets serious when she sees his haunted look. "We had breakfast then we spent some time together. I took her on a tour of the boat and then we went to my cabin for a bit to chat in private. She's... undecided of what to do with her marriage."

Damon's heart starts beating quicker, he wishes she'd tell him more.

"I tried to tell her that her cage is only imaginary. She's only trapped if she allows herself to be kept a prisoner. She's quite courageous really. I sense a certain fire to her but she believes in long held conventions and family obligations. She needs any and all help and support she can get," she looks straight at Damon and he swallows under her gaze.

"How can I...help?"

"Maybe just by being yourself? My guess is, you're a big part of why she's even beginning to question her life, give yourself more credit," she smiles at him.

"But what could I offer her? I don't belong into her world."

She reaches over and places her hand atop his. When their eyes meet, she says softly, "Have you ever considered that maybe she's tired of that world too?"

* * *

Elena picks up her wine glass to take a sip. As she puts the rim to her mouth, she looks around, a little surprised at how many unfamiliar faces she notices. Have they been in the dining room as often as she has and she just never noticed them before? She can't help but wonder where Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Frohman are and of course the Mikaelson's. She's grown rather fond of Sage and Kol. Another missing face is that of Miss Pierce. Maybe George told her to keep a low profile this evening? When Kelly Donovan passes their table, she nods politely. She's in a hurry and doesn't stop to chat. She's probably in a rush so she won't be late for her performance. She can sense George's eyes on her but she pretends not to notice and focuses her attention elsewhere.

"Have you finished?"

Elena nods and waits for George to pull the chair away and offer his hand to pick her up. This George, she could handle but the problem is, it's not him, it's all an act to cast himself in a better light. She knows him too well, he's played this game with her before. But for whatever reason, tonight she has to wonder, is he trying to win her back? Or is he's scheming inside the twisted mind of his? The thought makes her nervous. _Where is Miss Pierce?_

They leave the dining room and to her surprise, George leads her to the promenade deck but doesn't stop to watch the scenery. If _he_ wasn't parading her around like some trophy, she would pause to enjoy the beautiful sunset and breathe in the invigorating sea air. It strikes her how she feels at peace when she's by herself and even more so when she's with _him._

He leads her over to the railing, some distance from the others who had the same thought. Leaning over, he places his mouth next to her ear. "You didn't tell anyone or show the bruises, did you?" His question catches her by surprise.

When her eyes meet his, she shakes her head no. "I, George, have been loyal, so far. But I'm not sure how long I'm willing to take it," she swallows hard, she's not sure about his reaction.

"What you're saying?" she doesn't recognize this tone, yet she continues.

"I'm not your property, or a whore that you can do whatever you please with. My pain will no longer be your pleasure. You'll either treat me with the respect I deserve or God help me, George, I won't stay with you. If I have to, I'll let the world know how George Lockwood the IV' treats his own wife. What would the Mikaelsons think?"

"Are you threatening me?" he glares, his tone low and dangerous. Taking her wrist, he pulls her flush against him, forcing a smile and nodding his head when Mr. Frohman and his man servant pass them. As soon as they're out of ear shot, he drops the mask.

No longer willing to be cowed, Elena steels her spine and whispers next to his ear. "No, George, I'm doing no such thing. I'm reminding you that I'm the Gilbert family heir. I don't need your money, I don't need your anything." Raising her eyebrow, she refuses to back down so she doesn't step back or try to put any distance between them.

"You think your parents would approve of this new attitude?" he asks with contempt.

"What I'm saying is... I - don't - care. I won't spend my life hiding in the shadows."

George's face grimaces in barely concealed anger. He grabs her by arms and squeezes, his fingernails digging into her tender flesh. "Now you listen little girl and listen good. Do you honestly believe that you're holding all the trump cards or that I need your money and your daddy's firm?" he pauses letting his malicious words sink in. "Do you really think that I need you? I will admit that it would complicate things rather handily if you left me."

With a sneer on his face he gets even closer, dropping his mouth to her ear once more. "But my dear, what if I was a poor mourning widower, hmm? Need I remind you that you're an only child? As such I think they would make me the beneficiary of their estates as your surviving spouse. Have you ever noticed how slippery these decks are? If you were to slip one day and fall overboard, everyone would just think it was a tragic accident. So you see Elena, you don't threaten me and get away with it. I always win." He gives her arms one last painful squeeze. "That's just a friendly reminder that you better play nice."

Elena's breath catches in her throat. Still she's painfully aware of George's fingers squeezing her arms.

* * *

With only a half hour left before her performance, Kelly stops at the wireless room to say hello to James. But she also knows that Damon comes there often. When she asks about him, James just shakes his head no to her question so she hurries to the bridge only to find First Officer Mikaelson. He's always been kind to her. "Kelly, did you need something?"

"I'm looking for Officer Salvatore. It's just a personal matter but it is of great importance."

Niklaus nods and points to the dining room. "He ran grab something for dinner, we've been a bit busy here, but he's free now."

Kelly curses and after thanking him goes back to the dining room where she finds him chatting with big mouth Mr. MIkaelson. "Damon..."

Both Damon and Kol raise their heads, Kol doesn't disappoint. With a swarthy smile, he gets up and pulls a chair out for her. "Take a seat Miss Kelly, we could use some company."

"No, thank you, Mr. MIkaelson, I have just a few moments before the show starts. Can I have a few words with Officer Salvatore? It's an emergency."

Damon gets up and leads Kelly to her usual table. "What happened?" he asks concerned.

"I don't have much time, I need to get to the lounge so I won't beat around the bush. Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood were having dinner here some time ago and they left together. I could tell Mrs. Lockwood didn't look like she was feeling comfortable about it. I left just before they did. I happened to see them exit the dining room but they didn't go back towards their cabin. It's quite unusual for Mr. Lockwood to spend so much time with his wife."

Damon's head's spinning but he's not sure what he could do about this particular case. _How do I force a husband to stay away from his wife when everything about this situation is... delicate._

Kelly watches his turmoil. "You should know, Damon, that your friend Kol Mikaelson provoked him last night and it was quite obvious that Mr. Lockwood was rather upset about it."

"What do you mean Kol provoked him?" Damon fears to ask.

"He pointed out Mrs. Lockwood's bruises, right during the dinner. And I think he wordlessly was letting the bastard know that he knows exactly how she came to have those bruises. I'm worried about her. I just don't know what a volatile man like him will do. He'll either stop hurting her or he'll ramp up his attacks."

"...he hurts her," Damon finishes her sentence breathlessly. _C'mon Damon, you have to think of something. You won't let him hurt her._ "Miss Pierce!" he says aloud, thanks Kelly and hurries to Katherine's cabin.

* * *

Swallowing thickly, Damon raises his fist and knocks on the door. Moments later, a surprised Miss Pierce pulls it open. Damon smiles to greet her. "Come in," Katherine says, tying her robe closed and pushing the door shut behind him. Damon's still not sure what to tell her. He enters and takes a small bow.

"Miss Pierce, I'm sorry to interrupt you, I just wanted to ask if everything's alright with the water or can I be of any help?"

Katherine looks pleased, but being the drama queen that she is, she starts whining. "It was a shock, I didn't know what to do. The man you brought mended it but what if it happens again?"

Damon isn't sure if he suggested to keep an eye on it or if it was her melodramatic theatrics. He could spend the night without really trying to do anything but he has another goal to achieve, a very important one at that. _It's to get Mr. Lockwood away from his wife._ Damon smiles at her and asks softly, "Should I tell someone to come to keep you company?"

* * *

"Won't you come to bed?" comes George's impatient voice, while Elena examines the new bruises and nail marks on her arms. She's still shaking since they left the promenade deck, wondering if she'll ever be strong enough to truly stand her ground with George. And whether he would really resort to murder. The thought that he wants to stake his claim and mark her yet again brings another violent shake through her body.

Without responding, she reaches for her heavy dressing gown, tying it tightly around her body when someone firmly knocks on the door. Wondering who it could be at this hour, she steps closer to look through bathroom door that is slightly ajar. Even when she raises up on her tiptoes, all she can see is George's back. She's unable to decipher any of the hurried whispers either.

When George calls aloud, "Don't wait up for me Elena", she breathes a huge sigh of relief. She watches as he reaches for his top coat and steps out of the door, no longer obscuring who came to their door.

 _His_ eyes find hers. "Good night Mrs. Lockwood..." His greatest reward seeing the gratitude mirroring in her beautiful face.

* * *

Damon knows that sleep won't come anytime soon tonight. He took a great risk going to Katherine to get George away from _Elena._ Although he's grateful it worked as well as it did, what about tomorrow and the day after that and the future? In just a couple of days she'll be walking out of his life leaving him to forever wonder where she is and if she's alright. He stops and looks out over the shimmering sea. He couldn't make himself leave her deck for fear of George returning. And now she's in her cabin all alone. He briefly considers that she might be afraid but he knows she's a strong woman and probably feels the most safe when her husband is nowhere to be seen.

He stops at the place that she was standing the day before yesterday, his mind immediately flying to the kiss that they shared. He's so deeply immersed in thought that he misses the light footsteps coming closer until he feels Elena's fingers touch his sleeve. When he looks at her, he thinks that he must've fallen through Alice's looking glass, dropping him into a fairytale. The kind where he and his lady fair ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. She maintains a respectable distance but her eyes are intently staring at him. Damon is afraid to step closer for fear of scaring her off.

"I'm so sorry.."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I should be strong enough to clean up my own messes."

"You are the strongest and the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he says quietly and when he sees her eyes filling with tears, he can't resist anymore and pulls her into his embrace. He doesn't care who sees them, he doesn't care if it costs him his job, all that matters is this fragile yet strong woman in his arms.

"I..I can't drag you into this. As much as I want to and believe me, I do, I can't promise you anything. They'll fight me all the way."

"You won't be alone," Damon promises. "You can lean on me, I'll be there with you every step of the way, I don't care how hard it is, I want to..."

Elena searches his eyes but finds nothing but truth and devotion. She raises her hand to touch his face. He leans into her touch and kisses her fingers. They sit in the background hidden behind the lifeboats breathing in the salty air and each other. Damon is holding her hand and at one point, Elena rests her head on his shoulder. It feels unreal.

They stay like this until the night starts to fade.

 _It's the best night he's ever had. It's also the best night she's ever had._

* * *

 _The calm before the..._

 _Thank you Eva. I hope you're enjoying your vacation. I miss you._

 _Huge thank to all of you. You're all the reason that I'm still here. I miss DE so much already. This is how we keep them alive and prospering._

 _"Tomorrow" and "This Isn't What We Meant" are also in progress._

 _Have a safe and wonderful weekend._


	7. Day 7

The pinks and yellows and oranges of the early morning sun as it rises the next morning indicates that it's going to be a beautiful day. Even if it were overcast, dark and grey with sheets of water pouring down, Damon could not be any happier. He wonders if this new and wonderful feeling that has found it's way inside of him has something to do with Elena. _Of course it does._

He looks out over the Atlantic. When he sees a whale breach the surface, he stares at it, his smile widening at the thought that she's responsible for all of this. He's inclined to believe so because everywhere he turns, no matter which direction it is, he can see her deep brown eyes, her heart shaped face and feel her soft skin beneath his hands. As he walks towards the bridge, he pauses to look out over the railing again, the endless vast expanse of ocean staring back at him.

He likes to imagine what she might look like when she smiles. Her whole face would glow, he's absolutely certain about that. Seeing her face light up like a firefly is something he has to experience. She has no reason to smile, the very thought tugs at his heartstrings. Damon promises himself right then and there that if he ever gets the opportunity, he will do everything in his power to ensure that she never has to frown again.

As he continues on his route, he responds to a few passing men, greeting with a quick hello as he makes his way to the bridge. First Officer Mikaelson is still there which surprises Damon because his shift should have ended hours ago. "Good morning, sir."

"Damon," Niklaus replies to his rather formal greeting. The darkness under his eyes and his clouded face are a stark contrast to the sunny blue, cloudless sky.

"What's the matter?" Damon asks. Worry begins to weave inside him like tendrils from a vine that wrap around and squeeze his insides.

"Another warning came early this morning. It seems a ship sank in these waters last night," he pauses, looking out over the ocean. With a sigh, his eyes drift back towards Damon's. "I'll be happy when we're at the port. Fortunately it shouldn't take much longer."

Damon nods and tries to shake off the bad feeling. After checking what needs to be done, he suggests they could grab some breakfast together. Not yet in the mood to sleep with the voyage nearing its end, Niklaus happily agrees. This voyage is no different than any other. Once they get close to their final destination, they're impatient to get everything done.

Since the hour is still early, there are not many passengers in the dining room when they arrive. Much to his great surprise, he finds Elena there already too. She's sitting all alone at an obscured table, one farther away than he's always seen her before. An overpowering need to join her begins to burn through his veins with each thrum of his heart but he knows that he can't. It wouldn't be wise so when she inadvertently meets his gaze, he sends her a genuine smile and bows his head lightly which earns him a smile in return. It's the one he was thinking about earlier and it's more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. He wishes he could march over there and claim her as his right this very second. _This is so hard._

He sits with Niklaus at the Mikaelson table where they're soon joined by the rest of the clan. Nik's kids are shoving their pancakes in their mouths. Damon smiles at how cute they are. He looks up when he hears Mikael's voice.

Mr. Mikaelson earnestly questions both Damon and his son about weather conditions, while Kol and Sage take care of the fun part of the conversation. While laughing at something Kol said, his eyes fly towards Elena, but when he raises them the next time, she had taken her leave. It takes about a millisecond for him to feel a sense of loss. He just hopes that she's alright and that her husband is still engaged with Miss Pierce.

They sit for a bit longer to enjoy a cup of coffee. Picking up his mug, he breathes a huge sigh of relief when he spots George Lockwood entering the room with Miss Pierce trailing behind him. The conspiratorial look she gives him makes him freeze in shock.

 _He's just became an ally to the femme fatale Katherine Pierce?_ He shakes off the thought and takes a long swallow of his coffee.

* * *

Elena feels like she's in a dream, no a fairytale, a wonderful one where true love's kiss arouses her from her long slumber. Did she just share a smile with Damon from across a room full of strangers? It's probably not that shocking.

 _Did they share something last night, something more meaningful than she's ever felt before?_

Nothing she's ever shared with her husband can compare to how wonderful it felt to be in Damon's arms. That wonderful man is full of emotions, good emotions and feelings. Sleep eluded her last night after they said goodnight. It was already early morning when he walked her back to her cabin. Just the soft last touch of his fingertips and the lingering heat in his eyes set her own body alight with desire. He makes her feel good about herself, something she hasn't felt in a long time. George has taken great pride in belittling her and making her feel like someone less than human, but not Damon. He makes her feel alive and it's a wonderful feeling indeed.

She could sense him still watching her even after she slipped inside her cabin. After changing into her nightgown, she laid in bed for a good hour, maybe a little longer. She laid on her back looking up at the ceiling all the while trying to calm her rapidly beating heart and swirling mind. Finding it futile to try to sleep, she sat up at the beside for some time deciding whether or not she should wake Elizabeth to fix her hair and help her change into new dress. In the end, she decided against doing so. It's still much too early for George to return from _Katherine's_ cabin and since the thought of a nap after breakfast was more appealing, she fixed her hair by herself and dressed in something light and airy.

In the dining room she didn't feel like socializing so she sat at a small table against the wall opposite of the door. The Third officer, _Damon,_ arrived with Officer Mikaelson some time later. Although she'd love to stare at Damon till the sunset, she had to make herself leave or someone might have picked up on their shared looks.

 _She will never be able to keep her eyes off of him or stop the rosy blush from coloring her cheeks._

When she's back in her cabin she takes off her dress, loosens her hair and settles in her bed for hopefully a few hours of undisturbed sleep.

* * *

Before noon rolls around, Damon gets pretty busy, once again reporting to the Captain. The man doesn't like him on principle, he's sure of it now, more so than he's ever been. For some unknown reason, the captain really, really dislikes him although Damon has no idea what he did to curry disfavor with the man. The captain even summons him to disentangle a mess in the kitchen and then he's sent to fix some misinterpreted calculation for the navigation process. He waves at Miss Kelly who's on the way to the dining room a bit earlier than usual for lunch but when he sees George and Miss Pierce on the promenade deck having drinks, he rests easier knowing that Elena will have some peace for a little while. He stares at the man with disgust but turns away before anyone notices. It's beyond him how can George get away with his deplorable behavior.

He also spares a few minutes to go to check on the Mikaelsons. He finds them gathered in the dining room for lunch. Damon gives them a nod before grabbing a quick coffee so he can get back to the bridge. He scans the dining room on his way out but Elena's not there and he secretly thinks she may be getting some decent sleep after all.

 _No matter what he does and how busy he is, his thoughts always turn to her._

He wishes he could be sure that there will be some light at the end of the tunnel for the two of them. Somehow, he just knows she is the one that is meant for him and he wants to hope that he's the one for her too. The thought of defeating George and a million other people who may crawl out of the woodwork to make life hard for them seems daunting at best and impenetrable at worst. Not to be excluded are the social and societal conventions of these times, Elena being a daughter of incredible wealth whereas he's just Damon. He sighs and takes his spot on the bridge to continue his watch. It's not quite 2 pm and nothing indicates any trouble for Lusitania and her passengers.

Twenty minutes later a massive explosion nearly splits her in two.

* * *

 _On February 4, 1915, Germany declared the waters about the British Isles a "war zone" in which submarines would destroy every enemy merchant vessel found there. She warned neutrals that neither the crews nor passengers of such vessels, whether enemy or neutral subjects, would be safe in the zone._

 _May 6th brought better targets for U 20. Medium-sized liners called the 'Candidate' and the 'Centurion' were both attacked and sunk. Neither sinking led to any casualties – though Schwieger had not given a warning to either ship. The Lusitania received a number of warnings from the Admiralty about U-boat activity off the coast of Ireland. The crew went through a number of safety drills and some watertight bulkheads were closed. But the voyage passed without further incident and the ship continued on its course right through the danger zone._

The German submarine _U-20_ entered the Irish Sea on May 5th and now, the morning of May 7, she claimed her third victim. The U-20 has only a couple torpedoes left in her arsenal and is running low on fuel. As a result, Captain Walter Schweiger, the ship's commander decides to steer for the open waters of the Atlantic and home. He is unaware that his greatest prize is steaming straight for him and that his actions on this day would ultimately bring America into the war.

When the Ocean liner is two miles away, he sees it changing course. She is coming directly at them. He had already shot away his best torpedoes and has left only two bronze ones.

He watches through his periscope, the steamer is only four hundred yards away now. "FEUER!"

* * *

When the temperature of her room gets a little uncomfortable, Elena wakes up with a light sheen of sweat covering her body. She tosses the sheet to the side, throws her legs over the side of the bed and glances at the clock. It's rather late but she feels well rested and surprisingly optimistic. Her belly starts to rumble but she needs to get dressed before she can go to the dining room. Standing up, she slips on her robe and then walks out into the living quarters to see if Elizabeth is around. Not that it matters really, she's certainly able to dress herself.. still George insists that she let the maid do her job but it's actually quite limiting sometimes.

Once she stretches her limbs and washes her face, she opens the closet door to pick out a dress and matching accessories. As she stares at all of her dresses, it dawns on her how unnecessary all of this glitz and glam really is. As soon as she has her dress on, she brushes her hair and decides to leave it down. When she reaches up to fasten the clasp on her petite sapphire necklace, she experiences a strange sensation, realizing almost immediately that the ship is no longer moving.

It must be just a second but she feels like it's many more. Her heart skips a beat and then the movement is back along with a deafening noise as a powerful explosion rocks through the boat, throwing her body back against the bed. She feels a crack in her arm and for long few moments there is no pain. She watches in shock as her sleeve starts to redden and she touches the sticky fluid flowing down her right arm. Before she can snap out of it she starts to cough violently as smoke fills the room. A burst of adrenaline surges through her body, giving her a strength she didn't know she had. She quickly jumps to her feet and runs out of the cabin.

The promenade deck looks like a scene straight out of Dante's Inferno. A great many people are running about, others take it very quietly though while the crew are trying to free the lifeboats from their rigging. It's everyone for themselves. Elena rushes to find a life jacket but the steward won't give it to her, saying she needs to go downstairs for one. She knows that would be foolhardy but she starts down anyway but is soon forced back by thick black, acrid smelling smoke.

She notices how the crew are hurrying to get the women and children in life boats. Surprisingly the women are very calm and the crew is too. It strikes her as surreal since there are no life belts left. Elena is snapped out of her reverie when the ship starts to dip precariously to one side. She keeps stumbling in the direction of the dining room but she freezes in shock when it's not there. There is no deck either. Everyone's running but she can't tell where, the screams of pain and fear are the only sounds ringing in her ears.

 _We were torpedoed...we're all going to die_. Instinctively she knows it must be it, traveling to England wasn't without risks these days but somehow she didn't believe it would happen to them, no one did. There were even jokes about it. No one could have imagined that they'd dare to launch an attack on the mighty Lusitania, a grand ship full of passengers. Frantic, she looks all around, relived when she finally sees another steward. He's trying to maintain order amongst the chaos but there are no other lifebelts left.

"You must go to the lifeboats, keep moving, the ship is sinking. No panic," he repeats but to Elena's ears he sounds like a broken record. _We are all going to die..._ And then suddenly she's calm again. There's no point in running. She looks around and wonders if she could have just one last wish granted. Raising her eyes to the heavens above, she prays not for a miracle, only that he'll know that her last thoughts were of him.

 _Where are you, Damon? I wish you knew that I love you... I wish to see you one more time._

* * *

When the first shock from the torpedo attack fades, Damon runs to take a look at the damage but before he can even begin to evaluate the situation, the ship rocks with another explosion. From where he stands, he can see the lifeboats crashing into the passengers line, many of them falling into the water, along with their luggage.

They have almost no chance to get into the lifeboats on the water. He can already _feel_ the ship sinking, it will drop beneath the surface within minutes, the vortex taking everyone and everything with it in the icy open arms of certain death. The boat is already heeling fifteen to twenty degrees to starboard being drawn down by the tremendous in rush of water into the great holes that were torn into her hull by the force of the explosion. They were, of course, all swinging into the ship's side and it was quite impossible to lower the boats onto the derricks which severely reduces the number of boats on the starboard side.

He tries to maintain his composure but as he looks around, he knows he should be doing something, saving lives, helping the passengers, something, anything. The Captain will hold him personally responsible if anything happens to the Mikaelson's but who's actually responsible here? Shock turns to rage and he starts running because there are people dying and he can't do a thing about it.

But there's one single overriding moment and Damon knows what he has to do. If there's just one passenger he can save, it will be _her._ He has to reach A deck. Luckily he's on the right side of the ship, it'd be impossible to get to the other. In his mind he says a prayer for the people still in dining room and realizes Elena may have gone to lunch after he left.

A cold fear squeezes his heart and he tries to run faster and harder, pushing himself beyond his limits. When he gets to the stairs he notices a small crying boy calling for his mamma. People are in a panic and tripping over him which only makes the little guy cry even harder. Damon grabs him without slowing his step, pulling his shaking body comfortingly against his chest.

"I've got you," he murmurs just for the child, "I'll find you a nice lifeboat so you can get out of here and wait for your mamma, alright?" The boy must he exhausted because he just holds tight and lets Damon carry him. Damon's finally on Elena's deck and he finds a steward who's trying to organize the escape. "Here, Simon, put him on the first lifeboat available and get away with him," he hands him the boy who surprisingly stays quiet. "Simon, have you seen Mrs. Lockwood? The brunette on this..."

"Yes officer Salvatore, she was right here," he looks around and waves his hand in the direction of the worst disaster in the middle part of the ship. He's already wrapping the boy into a lifebelt and hands him over to another crew member to lower him into his arms when Damon thanks him and scans the surroundings for Elena.

"Elena!" he calls when he sees her looking for the way through a group of people. Damn with protocol! He isn't going to call her "Mrs. Lockwood" when they may die any minute. As he's barges his way forward to reach her, he takes a look over the railing. The ship is sinking rapidly, too rapidly. If they won't get away quickly, they will have no chance at surviving.

Elena hears his voice calling her but is not sure if it's real or if she's imagining it. Almost ready to accept her fate, she grips the railing. When she hears his voice again, she looks up and finally sees him running pell-mell towards her. She lets out a sob and flies into his arms. At this moment the only thing that matters is that he's here with her. He squeezes her for a moment but is already moving, dragging her along back to the lifeboats yet doesn't stop there, he leads her to the stern. In a box under the ropes he grabs a life-belt putting it safely on Elena before she can protest. "No Damon, you need it yourself!"

Damon chuckles and puts his index finger on her lips. "Silly girl, I don't, if I hold onto you for dear life. Literally. You can bet I won't let you go."

Elena searches his eyes and can see the truth, he just wants her to feel better. They're most certainly going to die. A sense of serenity washes through her, they will be together when death claims them. _She won't make it more difficult for him._

So she just nods and gives him a small brave smile and Damon wants nothing more than keep her in his arms forever. He leads her to the railing and helps her climb over it. He's right behind her and readies himself to push them off as far from the ship as they can when Elena stops his movement.

"Damon!"

He looks her in the eyes and gives them a second to share what may never be shared later.

"I love you," she says, her voice surprisingly calm.

"And I love you," he vows and with his arm circling her waist he springs them into the raging water below.

* * *

The impact with the surface is brutal, like a million tiny needles pressing into his flesh. Damon can feel the cold water soaking his uniform which will slow him down but he knows they need to get as far away from the sinking Lusitania as possible. The suck will submerge them, dragging them along when the mighty ship slips beneath the surface. He has no time to rid himself of the jacket. He does take a moment to check on Elena. She is now unconscious, likely the result of their collision with the hard surface, but she is breathing and her lifebelt is helping to keep her head above water. Keeping her alive is all that matters to him now.

Putting distance between themselves and the ship is requiring a lot of his now rapidly fading strength to swim and pull her along with him. He quickly realizes that if his uniform is a problem, her dress is a much bigger one. It's heavy and weighing her down, pulling her down despite his best efforts to keep her afloat. He keeps pushing himself. Already exhausted, he keeps moving because their distance from the ship is still too close. When he glances away from the ship for a moment, he sees an upturned lifeboat and fights with everything he has left to reach it. He sticks his arms through the ropes that circle around it and leans on the smooth surface now dragging both Elena and the boat further from the ship.

He can hear the sickening noise when the ship slips under the surface of the Atlantic. Everything starts to swirl, a great maelstrom following in the ship's wake. Damon holds onto both Elena and the lifeboat but they're slipping away. _They're too close._ Damon's heart slams against his chest as he watches death approach. It's like everything is in slow motion. Time stops for him, he doesn't know if it's seconds, minutes or maybe even hours before they swing down a wave and stay swaying above the surface. Damon breathes out a huge sigh of relief. They're not safe, not yet, but now there's at least a chance they might make it. The shore is not far away and there must be someone observing? Surely they'll launch their boats to try to help?

The mournful wails and cries of the others and the floating bodies rip at Damon's heart. He knows that he'll carry this moment with him till the end of his days. As hard as it is, he has to turn away. He wants to cry, his heart is beating intensely and he feels the sting of bile at the back of his throat but somehow he composes himself when he feels the slightest movement from her.

He turns his focus back to Elena. Why doesn't she wake up? He can see a large cut on her arm, it's still lightly bleeding. He wonders if blood loss might be a problem. Even unconscious she still reacts to his touch. It might be even broken too. Damon only now notices the large bruise on her jaw. The skin is broken but the bleeding has stopped. He tries to move her closer but it's almost impossible with the heavy rich dress she's wearing.

"Sorry Elena, this needs to go," he apologizes and tears it open so he can get rid of it. Thankfully she's also wearing a petticoat so a certain decency is preserved. Still he feels bad for doing this against her will. However, after the dress is gone she breathes a little bit easier and he can feel her body is no longer being pulled down.

"Damon," she mutters and Damon's loving the sound of his name from her lips.

"I'm here Elena. You're with me. For now, we are safe." It warms his heart when he feels the tension leaves her body. She relaxes into his arms as much as possible given their still dire circumstances.

"I know..." she breathes. "Don't leave me. Don't ever leave me." Their eyes meet when her head lolls on his shoulder.

Damon pulls her impossibly closer and presses his lips to her forehead. "I won't."

* * *

Damon brings the cup of coffee to his mouth and takes a long sip. He needed a little fresh air after this most tragic day. He also wants to be able to thank the men that rowed their boats out from the Isle of Man on the Irish coastline to help pick up survivors. Damon can't close his eyes without remembering the awful sight of their great ship sinking beneath the waves. Although he has no idea the loss of life, he knows it's a massive number. He drops his eyes in a moment of prayer for the dead and those that may yet die from fever or pneumonia after being plucked from the still icy Atlantic waters.

They were pulled from the frigid water by the Wanderer and its crew. Somehow they survived although he has no idea how or why. He could barely feel his limbs but when he looked around the boat, Damon was relieved to see Kol Mikaelson among the survivors. Damon has grown to like the gregarious young man. What struck him the most is the ghost like appearance, empty eyes, shocked faces of those on board. He was certain that his own mirrored those haunted faces.

As soon as their rescue boat reached dry land in Queenstown, Elena was taken directly to the hospital but as an officer, he was required to stay to talk to the authorities. He listens to the rescuers, Thomas Woods and Harry Costain give testimony that they saved 160 people, taking them on their boat, the Wanderer.

"There were four babies about three months old, some of the people were almost naked as if they'd just gotten out of bed. Several had legs and arms broken, and we had one dead man, but we saw hundreds in the water. I gave one of my changes of clothes to a naked man, and Johnny Macdonald gave three shirts and all his drawers."

Another crewman, a man named Stanley Ball adds, "We saw the Lusitania going east. We knew it was one of the big liners by her four funnels, so we put the watch on. We were lying in bed when the man on watch shouted that the four-funneled boat was sinking. I got up out of bed and on deck, and I saw her go down. She went down bow first. We were going off south, and we kept her away to the SSW. We went out to where it took place — to within a quarter of a mile of where she went down, and we picked up four yawls. We took 110 people out of the first two yawls, and about fifty or sixty out of the next two; and we took two yawls in tow."

Damon watches as the man pauses to wipe his brow. "We were at her a good while before any other boat. The first person we took on board was a child of two months. We had four or five children on board and a lot of women. I gave a pair of trousers, a waistcoat, and an oil-coat to some of them. Some of us gave a lot in that way. One of the women had her arm broke, and one had her leg broke, and many of them were very exhausted."

The mention of half naked people and broken limbs turns his stomach. Damon takes a deep breath before he swallows the last of his coffee. The scope of the tragedy is just too much for him to comprehend at the moment. He needs to get back inside the hospital to see for himself that Elena is alright. Just as he's about to pull the door open, someone grabs his arm. Damon looks up, tears fill his eyes when he sees that it's his buddy, Enzo. They embrace and hold each other for a few minutes.

"Thank God, you're alive," Damon breathes, pulling his friend close once more.

"You too, Damon. James is gone... so many others," Enzo says, shock still prevalent in his eyes. When he starts to wobble, Damon wraps his arm over his shoulder and wraps his own around Enzo's waist. Damon carries most of his weight as the two men go into the building, Damon relinquishing his hold on his friend only when a nurse brings a wheelchair.

* * *

When Elena wakes up next, it takes her a few minutes to recognize that she's in a hospital. She feels warm and comfortable, there are no sounds of the sea, no taste of sea water in her mouth nor is she wet. For a second she considers if it was just a dream or if she's dead... _Where is he?_

She tries to sit up and that's when she knows that her nightmare is reality. Her arm is fixed in a white bandage and she can't move it at all. She struggles to get up, stopping only when she hears her name.

"No, no no, Elena, don't move!" comes a voice from somewhere close and her eyes fill with tears as she recognizes the owner.

"Miss Kelly! You're alright?!" She doesn't listen to the protests of both the woman and her own aching body. Instead, she hugs Kelly Donovan with surprising strength, given her condition. "I'm so glad to see you!"

Kelly's trying to calm her down and knows the exact moment when Elena realizes who's the most important person for her to see. Her whole body tenses and she frees Kelly from her embrace.

"Where is...?"

Kelly helps her to lay down despite her many protests. "Officer Salvatore you mean? He's good, worried about you though, that's why he asked me to sit with you until he gets back. He needed not only a breath of air but he also had things to take care of since he's an officer and all. Damon is a good man, Elena. Even though he asked me to sit with you, he wouldn't have needed to. I wouldn't be anywhere else... You gave us quite a scare," she says with a smile, happy that her young friend survived the horrible event.

 _Many people didn't..._

"Elena...," she starts but Elena's already on the same page. Looking intently at the ceiling, she interrupts her.

"Is George...?"

Kelly nods, but realizes Elena needs to hear it. "Yes. He and Miss Pierce most certainly didn't make it. They were in the dining room at the time of the attack so it's likely they didn't survive the first explosion, No one there could have made it out alive. I saw them enter together not long before.."

Elena's eyes fill with tears. Although no explanation is necessary, Kelly understands, Elena adds with a croaky voice, "I... I'm not crying for him. I didn't love him. Sometimes I hated him. But I feel horrible that... that it isn't different. That I feel... relieved. What kind of person does that make me?" She looks at Kelly in desperation. The older woman sits at the edge of the bed and pulls Elena into her arms, letting her cry it out. "I didn't wish him death," Elena cries, her face buried against her friend's shoulder.

Kelly rocks her gently. "I know, Elena, I know you wish things would have been different. But they aren't and that's not your fault. You will learn to live with it. You've been given a second chance, my dear," she says, brushing strand of hair behind Elena's ear. When Elena raises up, Kelly meets her gaze. "Make the most of it."

* * *

A short while later, Damon barges into her room, his face awash with happiness although he tries to keep it hidden, unsuccessfully so. Kelly smiles at him then discreetly leaves the room to give them some privacy. Damon nods at her, then moves to sit on the side of the bed. Gingerly he touches her hand no longer able to resist the temptation of feeling her soft skin beneath his fingertips.

Elena turns her hand around and squeezes his fingers. "Thank you."

"For what? Your arm is fractured, you lost everything on that ship. Even your..."

Elena shakes her head. "You have nothing to feel bad about. You saved me. You saved us. I didn't lose the most important thing of all..."

 _YOU._

* * *

 _TBC..._

 _Lusitania departed Pier 54 in New York on May 1, 1915 at 12:20 p.m._ _On the afternoon of May 7, 1915 the British ocean liner, **Lusitania** is torpedoed without warning by a German submarine off the south coast of Ireland at approx. 14:10. Within 20 minutes, the vessel sank into the Celtic Sea. Of the 1,959 passengers and crew, 1,198 people were drowned including 128 Americans._

 _I don't know why 'Lusitania' doesn't have the notoriety that Titanic does when they both had horrific death tolls._

 _"Feuer" is fire in German._

 _Thank you all so much but we're not done yet. There's still a couple of chapters left to be posted. I hope it's okay, Bonnie, that I used this ship instead of Titanic._

 _Thank you Eva. I love you dearly._

 _Please check out my other stories. "This Isn't What We Meant" and "Tomorrow"._

 _Special thanks to Delenadreams and MovingOnIsNeverEasy._

 _Have a fabulous day and thank you all again._


	8. Nothing's Changed

_May 10_

It's three days since the tragic demise of the mighty Lusitania. It's late spring and although the sun is shining brightly in the sky, Elena still feels a chill. She stands together with the Mikaelson family and other survivors. They're gathered in the Queenstown graveyard to pay their respects to the 145 victims that are to be laid to rest in the town's Old Church Cemetery. The funeral cortege takes almost three hours to reach it's destination, slowly making its way from the temporary morgues on the quayside to the graveyard over two kilometers away. People stand on either side of the road, their heads hung to show respect as the solemn entourage passes them.

She looks at the faces, recognizing the survivors from the ship, not because she knows them but because of the shocked look that still lingers in their eyes. She scans the scenery, the three open graves, three big pits that have been dug by soldiers, the long high banks of earth beside the holes, the coffins with their white numbers on the lids.

The coffins are unloaded from the hearses, lorries and carts and placed side by side in the mass graves. Then a party of servicemen fires a volley of shots over the graves of the Lusitania dead. Elena can smell the gun powder as it wafts through the air. When the soldiers complete their memorial salute, the people now gathered to pay their last respects begin to sing _Abide With Me_.

Sage is standing beside Elena and wraps an arm around her. Elena nods, grateful that the Mikaelson's have taken her, a young widow, under their wing. First Officer Niklaus is standing to the left of his father surrounded by his wife May and their children. It's truly miraculous that their family survived intact.

George's body has not been recovered. It may yet, sailors and the British navy are still looking retrieving bodies that are floating to the surface. The very thought makes her stomach turn uncomfortably. She hears the hushed sobs and wails of some other guests when the white caskets are lowered into their final resting place. She feels bad that she has nothing to bring home to George's parents, nothing to lessen the pain of their profound loss, no body, no story of heroism, there's simply nothing left of his to ease their burden.

For them, she will have a memorial plaque made, reminding the world that once there was a man named George Lockwood IV. There will also be a plague with the names of the other unfortunate passengers. They still don't know how many of the passengers were claimed by the sea. Damon told her he's certain the number will be staggering, equaling or perhaps surpassing the Titanic tragedy. She chances a brief glimpse over her shoulder, her nerves immediately calming when she sees Damon.

He's standing a few feet from her, keeping a respectable distance but she can feel his presence, his silent support. She's aware that he's there, having chanced the briefest of glimpses over her shoulder just as the service was starting. Kol Mikaelson invited him to join their family, just like his parents invited her when she was able to leave the hospital yesterday. As the coffins continue to be lowered, a lone tear leaks from Elena's eye.

 _I'm so sorry George that it had to be this way. I hope you'll find peace wherever you are._

It's not more than an echo of the pain that any wife would feel after losing her husband, it's rather sadness over how wrong their union was.

* * *

 _May 29_

Over the course of the last two and a half weeks, Damon has been very busy. He has spent every free moment helping in the search for bodies and the retrieval of luggage and other things that have floated to the surface. It's gruesome and back breaking work. Fortunately because the ocean's temperature is still quite cold, the bodies were fairly well preserved when they'd pluck them from their watery graves.

He had hoped that George's body would be among the victims, not only to give Elena some closure but also his family. As soon as he'd return to their hotel after a day at sea, she would always ask if his was among the remains that were recovered on that day.

He can see how torn she is. How does one mourn a man who was abusive to her, both physically and emotionally, especially one who treated her as property? Plus there's the fact that Elena was planning to ask him for a divorce. It pains him to watch as she's now forced by circumstances to hold onto the memory of someone that she very much needs to let go of. It's not healthy, it's not fair but it is what it is. Somehow they'll have to get through it, together. Sadly, his body has never been found, nor has Miss Pierce's but he's grateful that they were able to recover many victims. At least those families will have some semblance of peace and closure too.

It's been a long day again and he's tired as he enters the hotel lobby. He's a little surprised to find Elena sitting at small table near the entrance reading something.

"Elena?" he says very softly so no one can question their relationship. He hates addressing her formally as Mrs. Lockwood, she hates it too but it is necessary to maintain propriety.

Elena raises her eyes and gives him a small smile. "I received mail from Elizabeth's parents, they can't come here but they have asked for me to have her name written on the memorial desk at the cemetery."

Her maid's, unlike her husband's body has been found and is now resting at the cemetery along with many of the other victims. "I'd do that even if they hadn't asked..."

Damon pulls out a chair and sits next to her. All he wants to do is touch her but decorum forbids it. She looks up, wanting his touch as much as he wants to give it. "I also received a telegram from my parents, they expect me to return as soon as possible." She hands him the piece of paper.

"You don't have to do that until you feel like leaving, you know that, right?"

Elena shakes her head. "You have to leave too. The Mikaelson's are leaving. I want to come with you, Damon. It's just...," she pauses to take a breath. "Even in face of tragedy, they're still ordering me around. I guess it's better to get it out of the way sooner rather than later," she ends with a certain surge of determination, her spirit not giving up in these dire moments.

 _He's so proud of her._

He stands up when she does and follows her outside to take a walk around the hotel grounds as they do everyday.

* * *

 _June 15_

Damon stands leaning against the railing next to Niklaus Mikaelson as their return ship nears Port 54 in New York harbor. It's the same one that they left from on that chilly first day of May. Damon grips the railing, it's a strange feeling as the ship gets ever closer to the dock. It's been just six weeks since they left on the Lusitania not knowing what would await them on their voyage. His knuckles whiten as he grips it even harder, his throat feels thick when he thinks of all the people that were lost. Apparently he's not the only one thinking it when he feels Niklaus form brush against his arm.

"I remember this view when we left on Lusitania. Only then we were seeing this in reverse, the port growing smaller as we steamed out over the ocean," he pauses, his eyes meeting Damon's for a brief moment before he focuses on view that's just ahead. "If I knew, if I had any compunction, any thought that a disaster was awaiting us, I would have thrown my family over the railing and made them swim back."

"And I'd have murdered you, brother," Kol joins them.

Damon smiles faintly. "You know what's confounding? I still love the sea and wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

Kol pats his shoulder. "Because you have ulterior motives though, my friend, a certain brunette," he chuckles, squeezing Damon's shoulder before letting go. "That's why you still love being on the water.

Niklaus gives his brother a disapproving look but he can't really scold Kol for trying to ease the moment, they're all too happy to be alive, even though it often feels inappropriate, given the fact so many others didn't get to survive the catastrophe.

Kol brushes off his big brother's silent admonition. "No one had any way of knowing that such a tragedy would occur. Even if we could turn back time, we still wouldn't have known that the ship was doomed. We would have boarded the ship to cross the ocean the same as we did six weeks ago."

Damon shakes his head with a smile at the brothers' familiar dynamic but in his mind he's already in NYC, imagining Elena being taken away by both families. He's already missing her.

 _How do I ever go back to the way it was when you disappear into your world?_

* * *

Elena stands in her room, pausing in her task to take a look out of the porthole. The ocean is beautiful and quiet like a shimmering sheet of glass. It's been many weeks now since the tragedy and their ship has finally docked in New York. A part of her is thrilled to be home again but the thought of facing her parents and George's parents is off putting at best. When she hears a creak, she looks up, forcing a slight smile when Sage slips through her cabin door.

Elena resumes her chore and puts the last pieces of her clothing into a suitcase. She doesn't have nearly as many things as she did when they boarded the ship all those weeks ago. George had always insisted that they make a show of their wealth so she had trunks and suitcases. Elena likes not having to dig through dress after dress to find something to wear. Traveling light is so much easier. But she still has more than she needed with Sage insisting to buy her a couple of suits for the voyage home. While Damon was helping to recover bodies, she went along with the Mikaelson's to spend a couple of days in London since they all were in need of clothing too. Damon was working from dawn to dusk anyway and insisted that she should accompany them despite her own reservations.

Eyeing Elena warily, Sage sits down on the corner of her a bed. She looks a little displeased so Elena stops what she's doing to give her attention.

"I really wish you had let my new maid help you out with this," she says, making a sweeping motion with her arm over the bed. "You shouldn't do this alone, Elena."

Elena smiles at her friend. No matter how hard she has tried, she cannot imagine her flamed haired friend as being any different. She takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. "Thank you Sage, but I'm glad I can do this by myself."

"Are you punishing yourself for surviving or what?" Sage asks clueless.

"No, I just... I don't like this life that much anymore... Do you think I can make it? I mean do you think I can survive by myself away from my family, their values and this life style?"

Sage is not actually clueless, she gives Elena a knowing smile and goes to hug her. "I think you can do or get anything you set your mind to. You're strong, Elena and if that includes Officer Salvatore, all the better." Elena looks at her in shock but Sage just waves her off.

"Elena, surely you don't think that I would ever blame you for wanting to be happy even if that means fighting tooth and nail to achieve it? Especially after that husband of yours.. a man who gave you nothing but pain? Just because he's dead and yes, Elena, it was a gruesome way for so many to die but you can't stop living. I saw with my own eyes how abhorrently he treated you. You deserve to be happy. And as for my family, the Mikaelsons, they may be snobs and sometimes a little too conservative for my taste but they know how to love. They won't judge you. My father in law always talks about business and how everyone must respect it but they never once tried to stop Finn from marrying me. I wasn't exactly a good match. Well, maybe I was, I keep Finn's family members entertained and free from boredom but as for money or connections..."

Elena's eyes widen, so does her smile at Sage's funny attitude. Sage pats her shoulder. "The point is, you deserve to live your life as you choose. You tried to do it their way, it didn't work, luckily you found someone who can take you away from all the bad memories and offer something maybe better? Btw. you stole that fine man right from under my fingers... but ... just kidding!"

Elena laughs with Sage and she doesn't even believe it's happening, she doesn't even remember when she laughed last. They feel the moment that the ship's movement changes and for a second Elena stops breathing as it reminds her of the last moments of Lusitania. _They're home._ Sage opens the door to call someone to carry Elena's luggage and takes Elena's hand to join others on the deck.

When they later watch the people on the wharf Sage whispers next to her ear. "Remember, Elena, you can call any of us at any time and we'll rush in to your rescue."

Elena nods and find's Damon's eyes for a moment.

 _I'm going to find a way._

* * *

 _June 22_

The hearing started several hours ago and it doesn't look like it's going to be ending anytime soon. Damon shares a look with Niklaus when he comes back to his place after giving his testimony to the officials investigating the sinking of the Lusitania. Damon gave his own earlier that day but no one leaves the room as the emotions are heightened and everyone wants to hear the verdict. This act of unnecessary and unprovoked violence cost nearly 1200 people their lives. The guilty party must be punished.

The murmur in the courtroom rises when the Captain Forbes-Turner takes a stand in front of the commission. They weren't sure he would be there but it seems the Admiralty wants to make a point that might mean change for the warring sides. Damon finds it quite ironic, that the one person who may have been able to change the fate of Lusitania, didn't and he's standing here unharmed and apparently without even a hint of guilt. He briefly considers leaving because listening to the Captain about how things happened and why he made the decision to continue the course despite the many warnings is more than he can take now. However since he doesn't want to draw any unneeded attention to himself, he just retreats into his mind and turns his thoughts to Elena.

 _Elena,_ he hasn't been able to see her since they, her family, stuffed her into their car and hurried away with her. _Mrs. Lockwood_ sent the Mikaelson's their best regards and formal thanks for taking care of her but Kol made the comment that it certainly wasn't anything like Elena would send. He mentioned that there was nothing personable about it, strictly business which confirmed Damon's thoughts about all of it. He misses her, God he misses her.

She has yet to come back to visit. Damon is still staying with the Mikaelson family at their estate. He couldn't be more grateful. All of them, even Mikael and Esther, have assured him more than once that it's their pleasure to have him as a guest in their home. He's extremely grateful too because he didn't want to say goodbye to the only connection to Elena that he has left. Not only that, he needs to solve the question of where his next pay check is going to come from. He needs to find a job.

When the hearing finally ends, Niklaus comments that they'll probably have to wait for weeks, if not months, for any word on the commission's final verdict. The two men hurry outside. Neither wants to run into the Captain but he stops on the spot, his mouth hanging open in shock when he sees his father walking towards him. Automatically he looks for his mother and of course she's there, right behind him. Damon's incredibly happy to see them. They came to see him when he first arrived but due to his father's business affairs, they left with the promise to return shortly since they knew he was in good hands with the Mikaelson family. It wasn't just that, Damon and Niklaus have been busy with reports for the Cunard line and there just weren't enough hours in the day for Damon to spend any quality time with them.

"Ma, Pa...," he gives his mother a hug. "What are you doing here?"

"You know your father, he wanted to be at the hearing but we couldn't get in. And we also wanted to see you of course."

"I'm sorry, it's been extremely busy...," he takes a look at Niklaus. Nik wholeheartedly greets them, they'd been introduced on the day of their first arrival. Damon can't believe the mighty Mikaelson family are actually such nice and down to earth people.

Suddenly, his father looks over his shoulder and both of his parents freeze. Damon turns around and there is Captain Forbes-Turner, looking at his family in disgust.

"Bill?" Damon's father says, his face less then friendly. The Captain mutters something under his breath and after giving his mother a long unfriendly look he disappears quickly to a nearby waiting car.

Damon turns to his parents. "What was that?"

"It's a long and complicated story Damon," his mother says after a few moments of silence. "Let's say.. he never accepted the fact that I chose your father."

 _And there it is._

* * *

Elena managed to stay with her parents for three days before telling them she's going back to her own house. They brought her to their place directly from the harbor. The Lockwood's, George's parents' Anthony and Adele came too but they reassured Elena that they understood that she needed to be with her own family. Quite honestly, Elena didn't want to stay with her parents either. She and George had their own house and she needed a break from her mother's constant hovering.

There was so much she needed to think about. Everything from making peace with and accepting George's demise. There are also attorneys for her to see regarding his estate. She doesn't know if she's the beneficiary or if his parents are. Last but not least, she has to consider what to do with her future. The only thing she knows with absolute certainty is that she wants to be with Damon.

Three days have passed since she came home. Now she's sitting in her parlor waiting for her own parents and her in laws to come for lunch. It's not something that Elena arranged, frankly she would rather have had a little more alone time but she wasn't given a choice, they simply told her that they were coming.

Anthony and Adele arrive first, all in black, just like herself. She has no reason to feel guilty, she did nothing to cause George's death, still she feels guilty, because _they lost their only son._ Nothing can be more painful. Together with her parents who arrive twenty minutes later they have a nice lunch. Elena tries to be a good host but there's an air of expectation that defies her comprehension.

After lunch they all retreat to the parlor for tea and coffee. Before Elena can even get comfortable in her seat, her mother sets her cup down and then her eyes bore into her daughters.

"Elena, you, is it possible, I mean, ... could you be with child?"

Elena's skin heats up and her cheeks bloom pink. What an embarrassing question and with George's parents present? She's stunned when her in laws are sitting at the edge of their seats brimming with expectation. They seem just as much if not more interested than her mother and father. She wills herself to put up with them. She doesn't look at anyone, she just answers.

"No, am not with a child. I don't understand what it does have to do..."

"Please, understand Elena," her mother continues, "Anthony and Adele.. well as you know, George was their only son.. and now they're in need of an heir as are we and if you... If there was a chance of a baby, they, all of us really wouldn't be forced to choose another option."

"What are you saying? What other option? Sorry I disappointed you but..."

"The only option now is find another man within the Lockwood family who will then take over George's responsibilities in the bank."

"I still don't understand how I...?"

Elena's father breaks in on the conversation. "Nothing changed, Elena, the union between the Lockwood family and ours is something we are all invested in. It's of highest importance that you marry Tyler Lockwood, George's cousin so the union stays untouched."

Elena can't believe what she's hearing. Intense anger begins to grow and burn out of control inside of her. Jumping to her feet, she faces her father. "Untouched? So your business gets to stay untouched but I won't? Is that what you're saying? Which of course is fine in your minds, because I'm nothing more than piece of property. You aren't even going to allow me to grieve before you throw me into bed with another man whose last name is Lockwood?"

"Elena, control yourself!" her mother interferes but Elena's too far gone, too angry to care. "I'm going to get some rest. Thank you for your visit, I hope to see you under better circumstances."

With that, she rushes upstairs, she can't think, she can't breathe, she can't believe they want to do this to her all over again.

TBC

* * *

 _Where do I begin to thank you all? I'm so grateful and I know Eva is too for your incredible support. I'm glad you're enjoying this little journey back in time. I can't wait to share the next one with you._

 _Huge thanks to you too, Eva. Your brilliance never fails to astound me in the best way. I love you my sister._

 _Chapter title "Nothing's Changed' by Passenger._

 _Please have a look at "TIWWM" and "Tomorrow"._ _Please check out the other writers that I've mentioned before. They're all amazing people and their talent is astounding. I'm honored and humbled to be able call them and many of you my friends._

 _Have a lovely day. Thank you all again._


	9. Starting On Day One

_June 25_

With all but steam venting from her ears, Sage traipses into the living room and rather dramatically slams her purse down on one of the tables. Before either Damon or Kol can utter a peep, she looks at them expectantly. "You will not believe it, you simply will not. I am so angry that I could spit like a man!"

Damon looks at her while Kol pretends not to be interested. Not one to be ignored, Sage throws a decorative cushion at him. "Kol?! Can you stop please? I know you're dying from curiosity!"

Kol raises his eyes blasé. "I hate to break it to you darling, but your usual socialite melodrama does nothing for me. Too shallow."

"Really?," Sage smiles at him sweetly. "Then why don't you tell me why you have the reputation as being the biggest gossipmonger in our considerable circles?"

Kol sticks out his tongue at her and Damon has to shake his head. "What's got you so agitated? Are you going to let us in on it or not?"

Sage turns to him and he doesn't like the look she's giving him. She makes a dramatic pause before she starts. "I went to the Lockwood home, you know since none of us have gotten to see Elena since she was hurried into her parent's car at the harbor. Anyway, I was there because she invited me for lunch."

Damon tenses and Kol surely looks less bored, both eager for her to continue.

Sage finally feels she's not being ignored. "We spent most of the day together and if you want my opinion, I am sure that she was glad to see me."

"Why didn't she come to see us? Is she busy? Or is it her parents? The Lockwood's?"

"I don't know Kol. I'm concerned. Her parents and the Lockwood family decided that their businesses and properties or whatever is more important than her happiness. It's why they wed her off to George in the first place. The poor girl had no say in the matter at all. One day she was Elena Gilbert, the next Elena Lockwood." Sage stands up to pour herself a drink. She picks up the brandy decanter and pours a little in a tumbler. She throws it back quickly.

"Despite nearly losing their daughter and after everything she's been through, they now want her to marry George's cousin, Tyler. "So the families union will stay intact," she sings songs, her jaw pulling back in anger.

"What?!" both Damon and Kol gasp, unable to hide the shock that washes over their faces.

"Yep," Sage confirms. "They sat her down a few days ago and told her. The nerve of those people is unbelievable. What I wouldn't do to get them alone in a room," she fumes.

"Who do they think they are?" Kol agrees, "I mean, the Lockwoods and the Gilberts too are well known for their 'clever' politics, whether it comes to business or marriage but to sell their daughter is unthinkable especially when her husband died a month ago? They aren't even letting his body get cold." Kol scoffs, walking over to the bar to pour a drink for himself. After taking a sip, he looks at his sister in law again. "And what about his parents? They're on board with this?

"They are."

"What is she going to do? Why didn't she come to us?" Kol asks, adding just a little more to his glass.

Sage shakes her head no. "I asked her that too. She said that she needs time to think and we shouldn't worry about her. But how do we not?"

Damon feels uncomfortable when he notices them both staring at him. "Did she... Didn't she...?" _No, he can't ask this._

He doesn't need to, as Sage is already answering. "No, Damon, she didn't mention you. I tried to ask but she just changed the topic. She said she would be in touch and not to worry."

 _It's not what he wanted to hear._

* * *

It took Elena a few days to gather her wits and with each passing day, her anger grew and reached a fever pitch. She's grateful for Sage's visit because her friend allowed her a much needed vent. Although she briefly considered running to the Mikaelsons for shelter, she knows that this is her fight and she's not going to back down from it. _She's a much stronger woman than they give her credit for._ Still she's very grateful knowing that she has the backing of that powerful family.

In her lowest moment right after she kicked her parents and his out of her home, she thought of Damon. He deserves someone who is serious about fighting for him and for them as a couple. That's all the motivation she needs. Although she'd like him to be here, this is one battle she needs to fight and win herself. She smiles when she remembers Damon telling her that he was all in and wanted to be with her and that he would wait for however long it would take. He's trusting her to do her part and she will. Elena will not hide behind the powerful Mikaelson family or take refuge behind the walls of their grand estate because if she cannot do what needs to be done, she doesn't deserve a man like Damon Salvatore. By God, she's going to be the woman that he deserves.

Elena hasn't sent him any messages or anything else to ease his mind. She just couldn't. The last thing she wants to do is to hurt him but she needs to do this on her own and if she mentions it, she knows Sage will bring the cavalry which would include Kol and Damon. They just won't understand that she needs the freedom to do this in her own way. She won't allow her parents to pretend things are different than they really are. Because if she must face her past she will make them do the same.

She waits for several days, but her parents are no fools either, they know that they have her cornered and that she waits patiently for big confrontation. They leave her alone just like she asked. If living with George taught her nothing else, it did teach her patience. Elena uses that time to sort out some things and make decisions that need to be made. She goes to appointment with their lawyer only to be advised not split the property and that she should consider the Lockwoods offer _. Yes, another arranged marriage..._

She leaves more determined than ever to not let them scare her off. After that she realizes she can do nothing about it until she talks to both of her families. So she stays home going through and filing documents and papers and going through George's things which takes several more days.

It's too soon, really and sometimes she has to stop to get her emotions under control. The turmoil she's feeling is foreign to her in a strange way. She didn't love George, she didn't even like him but she does feel bad that he died so tragically. Still, _she-needs-it-done._ She picks up her cup of tea. It dawns on her that their parents are probably already planning her new wedding. It's as if they don't even care about their son, only the fiscal matters. It angers her, George has only been dead a few weeks, they should at least let some time pass to honor his memory. He was their son after all.

She doesn't contact either the Mikaelsons or Damon though. At night, lying awake in bed, staring either out of the window or at the ceiling, she cannot get him out of her mind. She hopes he'll understand and that in the end, this distance will prove to be productive. Still she assures her imaginary Damon of her love and loyalty. He's both her inspiration and her motivation to get everything taken care of so they can be together.

Ten days pass before her parents finally break the silence. Her mother lets her know, they'd be pleased to have her for lunch on Saturday if she feels well enough to come. It's a nice change, being asked and given an option. She agrees and thanks her for the invitation.

When the butler, Henry, lets her in, she's ready to talk to her parents about her plans for the future.

Her mother rushes to greet her, gives her a hug and a kiss, and leads her to the main room. "You're a little late, but it's alright, Elena."

"Late for what, mother?" she asks, but the answer presents itself forthwith.

"Darling, let me introduce you to Tyler Lockwood!" her mother says with an exaggerated burst of enthusiasm. A young man who Elena has never seen before stands to meet her. Elena feels dazed when he takes her hand in his and gives it a kiss. She's too polite to start yelling at them all.

"Nice to meet you," she responds dutifully and when she sees the satisfied looks on her parents' faces, she knows that's exactly how they planned this.

* * *

Damon sits on the dock eating his lunch while he stares at the sea and listens to the sights and sounds of the harbor. He has yet to find another job but he's kept busy helping out at the Cunard offices. At least he's close to the ocean but it's not what he wants to do with his life. Everyday he longingly watches the ships coming and going and wishing he could return to sea himself. Sighing, he finishes his hot dog and then takes a swallow of his drink. He is going to have to make a decision sooner rather than later. Not only about work but about finding a place to stay. He doesn't want to burden the Mikaelsons anymore than he already has.

Before the Lusitania disaster, he was living temporarily with his parents because he had no need of a house or an apartment, he was always aboard an ocean liner. Also he's never had a family of his own that he needed to provide for. But now, for the first time in his life, he wants it all and he wants it with her. Even if Elena has had second thoughts about them, _no, that's not where he lets his mind wander. Focus, Damon._

He still needs to find a place to live and a job so he can pay the rent. But the most pressing thing is that he needs to see Elena. Perhaps he could try to contact her?

But he won't. He has to trust her and he does, he knows their love is trust worthy. He needs to give her as much time as she needs to do what's best for both of them. Standing up, he throws away his garbage and then starts to go back to the office to do some more tedious paperwork. When he hears the loud blare of tug boats siren he smiles, glancing about till he sees another mighty vessel departing.

 _I miss you, Elena. Every single minute of the day._

* * *

Elena picks her water goblet and takes a swallow. As she does, her eyes drift to each person who is sitting at the table. Her father is staid and proper, talking up Tyler as if he's the second coming of the Messiah. Her mother is like a Myna bird, nodding her head and parroting everything her father says. Their lunch is the perfect social event. It's unfolding like a well choreographed one act play. Elena is bored to tears. Rather than interject her opinion and receive dour looks from her parents, she simply listens while they plan out her entire future.

It dawns on her that she really has never had a chance to win with them. As with George, it feels like she's just one of their many material possessions. Why does she or any child long for their parent's approval? Especially when she knows that her values are a glaring contrast to theirs? She realizes they're not almighty. Nor do they love her unconditionally or tell her the truth when it's needed or allow her to do what she knows is best for her. Even though her parents are not paragons of parenthood, she also knows that there are good parents out there, she just doesn't have them.

She can see the future right before her very eyes. Her parents will visit her and Tyler on holidays, Tyler and her father would retreat to a back room to have share brandy and fine cigars. She would be subject to her mother's inanity, discussing an upcoming event or planning the theme for her Christmas décor. Elena is certain that her mother would demand to choose a nanny should she ever get pregnant.

Having set her water glass down, she takes a big swallow of her wine and sets it down. When she can no longer bear to listen to them, she clears her throat. They continue to ignore her so she scoots back in her chair and faces Tyler. "Did you know, Mr. Lockwood, that I may not be able to bear children?"

The room goes deathly quiet. Tyler looks at her obviously having no clue as how to respond to such a bombshell. Her father's face is purple with rage while her mother looks like she's having the vapors.

"Elena dear, we know you're upset, the boat tragedy and poor George..." _she even sheds a tear,_ Elena looks at her feigning interest. Her mother quickly composes herself and continues. "But I don't really think you should beat yourself up, dear. What happened, it wasn't your fault. I mean, you and George hadn't really been together all that long..., She's still in shock poor dear," her mother finishes, her gaze shifting to Tyler.

"Beat myself up?" she fumes, her hands fisting in her lap. Her father's face start to heat up so she knows that he's gearing up for giving her a lecture about how to behave. And that a union between her and Tyler is a good one and beneficial for everyone involved. Just as he starts to stammer, Elena decides it's just not worth it. _There are more important things to fight for._

Rather than listen to her father's tirade, she turns to Tyler with an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry Mr. Lockwood, I'm still not myself. Will you... We can take a walk if you like? We can get to know each other a little bit better?" she looks at her parents, stealing her father's thunder. The look of anger and uncertainty is quite evident by the looks they're giving each other. It's as if they're not sure whether they like this version of her. No longer is she going to let them make such important decisions for her. Several moments pass and she can see her parents bluster begin to recede.

Clearly, she's been a good daughter as eventually they consider that she wouldn't dare go against them or commit the unthinkable. Her mother smiles uneasily at her. "Show Mr. Lockwood the garden Elena, we have a new gardener and he has truly outdone himself," she turns back to Tyler during her speech.

Tyler looks neither scared or unsure and follows Elena into the garden. Elena sighs with relief mentally as soon as they're outside and there's some distance between them and the others. She breathes in the fresh air, letting it both calm and fortify her. Tyler gives her a small smile. "I'm sorry Mrs. Lockwood, or may I call you Elena?"

Elena turns her attention to him, neither pays attention to the lovely garden though. "You may, _Tyler_ , it's ridiculous to address each other 'Mr. Lockwood' and 'Mrs. Lockwood' and for what I want to say I don't think 'Mr. Lockwood' will do...," she pauses to take a breath but Tyler interrupts her speech.

"Listen, Elena, I know you are angry and I understand, I really do. You never received any warning that I would be here but please, don't reject the idea just because of the circumstances are not ideal. I don't know much about your and George's marriage but I knew George. He wasn't a nice man and I suspect that he wasn't a nice husband either. Am I right?" He stops when Elena looks at him disbelievingly. "I'm not him, I can and will be a good husband. Your parents and Georges' parents might have a point, it makes sense for us to marry and you have my word that I am not here to take advantage of you. You're a beautiful woman, Elena. I would be honored to be your husband."

"Tyler," Elena says slowly, "Why are you so willing and ready to marry me? You and I know nothing about each other except for our family names and the prestige they carry. I don't understand why you want to bind your whole life to me? You look like a good man but so did George. He changed as soon as he slid that ring on my finger." She pauses, bending over to smell her mother's hydrangea bushes. "Surely there's another girl out there who would really make you happy?"

Tyler frowns, "You know as well as I do that it's not an option. I can't marry just any girl... And we can have this. I can make you happy and you can make me happy, or if not..."

"If not...?"

"Then... there are other ways. I promise you, you won't regret it."

Elena stops listening after the "there are other ways." _She knows a thing or two about what some men do to spice up a marriage._ She shakes her head then meets his eyes again. "I tried to do it their way and it didn't work. I will not allow them to trap me in another arranged marriage. I want to live a real life, not a pretend one. I am not a marionette that they can manipulate with each pull of the strings. I want passion, adventure and maybe even a little danger. That man is waiting for me and I'm not going to disappoint him," she pauses for a moment, a hint of a smile forming when Damon's image appears in her mind. She's snapped out of her reverie when she hears the crunch of gravel beneath his feet.

"And lastly, Tyler, I'm not a broodmare nor will I allow you or anyone else to treat me as such, not anymore." She can see Tyler wants to protest again but she needs to get her point across.

"I won't marry you, Tyler. I don't know you and I don't want to get to know you. I will not spend the rest of my life with someone who thinks the way my parents do. I want to be happy, I want a life, I don't want an existence. I'm sure that you'll find someone that will be a good match and hopefully you will love her for who she is and not how she can benefit you. That girl is out there, Tyler, you just have to find her but she's not me. You deserve to be happy too. Seize your freedom before it's too late. I'll take my chance on the future, I want love, a love that consumes me." After sharing one more look with him, she walks away, leaving Tyler behind with his mouth hanging open.

* * *

Elena turns around when she hears the gate creak. She watches Tyler leave without going back through the house. Elena walks back slowly, not eager to jump into another argument but on the other hand she wants to be done with it. _It's been too long since the last time she saw Damon._ She smooths her dress and walks through the sliding glass door into the house. Both mother and father look up with a questioning gaze. "Where is Mr. Lockwood?" her father asks.

"Tyler's on his way home." She ignores the shock on both of their faces and sits on the sofa.

"It's not possible, he... he was looking forward to meeting you and... What did you tell him?" he sputters, shaking his finger at her.

"Nothing untrue...," she sighs. "Look, I know you're not happy with me..."

"Happy? We certainly are not young lady," her father starts but she gives him a hard look and continues without consent.

"Enough dad. I will be heard," she retorts, her voice rising an octave. "I don't care anymore if you're happy with me or not. Not since you sold me to a... 'gentleman' who took pleasure in hurting me, humiliating me and breaking me. Not since you crashed my beliefs that you'd help me to get away or stand behind me. Did you ever see the bruises that I wore, the bruises that George inflicted on me? Other people noticed, but you didn't, my own parents didn't care enough to see that their son in law was a monster. Do you have any idea the humiliation that I lived with having been forced to share my husband with his many lovers?"

She gets up to pour herself a finger of bourbon. She swallows it, puts the stopper back on the decanter then faces them again. "Did you have any idea how it felt to have strangers defend me when my own parents would not? All you care about is your precious firm. I'm telling you right now that I'm done. I'm not going to waste respect on people that have no respect for me. Don't start on about family duties because you haven't been family to me for a long time. You haven't been family to George either. He doesn't deserve to be defended, I hated him but you're ready and willing to pretend he never even existed just so you can marry me off to another one. He was with his mistress when their bodies were swallowed up by the ocean. Yes, I hated him but I didn't wish him dead either. Do you realize that not once have you even asked how I was, how I'm coping with all of this? No! Your only concern is forcing me into another loveless marriage."

"Elena, you will not talk to us like this!"

"I'll marry again when I want and with a man of my choosing. One who will love and cherish me and trust me to make my own decisions," she continues as if there was no interruption. "And if you try to stop me, the whole world will know what kind of a person George Lockwood IV was."

"You wouldn't," her mother breathes out, pallor washing over her.

"I can and I will. Don't doubt me."

She lets the silence fill the room, then she gets up and nods as a goodbye, neither making an effort to stop her. She feels fatigued and ready for the day to end, but she has one more visit to make before she can go to see the people that mean something to her.

* * *

 _July 7_

Damon pulls a hankie out of his pocket to wipe the sweat off of his brow. To say this day has been a stem-winder is an understatement. The day started out with an accident as they were unloading heavy cargo. One of their workers was crushed and the other suffered multiple fractures and may yet lose his life too. The financial loss was considerable, let alone the added costs of postponing the ship's departure till tomorrow is another huge ordeal. People had arrived only to be sent home to return the next day. The only good part about this horrible, no good, highly stressful day is that the manager took him aside and commended him for his hard work.

Damon is good at what he does. When he talks to people, they listen to him, he's good at numbers and at technical details. He has extensive knowledge of the shipping industry and is able to use it to the advantage of the company. His superior asked him to consider staying with the firm and that there was a good chance that he'd be in line for a promotion soon. He can almost imagine doing this for an extended period of time. Almost. The sea calls to him like a siren.

By the time he gets home, it dawns on him that he already considers the Mikaelson's family and their estate 'home'. He's famished as he was unable to break for lunch after the catastrophic events at the dock today. The idea of having a few drinks with Kol is appealing as well and by then it'll be almost time for him to retire for the night so he can get up at the crack of dawn and do it all over again. It's not that late when he steps into the house. The first thing he wants to do is take a bath. He's covered in sweat and grime and he stinks. The maid, Isobel, hurries over to take his things from him.

Just as he puts his foot on the bottom step to go to his room, he freezes, stopping in his tracks. He can hear the voice that he's been hoping to hear for weeks now. It's the sweetest sound echoing into the foyer from the main parlor. He forgets everything about his appearance, his exhaustion and quickly moves in that direction. When he appears at the threshold, Elena stops talking, their eyes meeting from across the room. Although her eyes are focused firmly on his, the corners of her mouth begin to lift making her whole face glow.

"Officer Salvatore...?"

In shock, Damon gawps for a few seconds before a sound finally escapes his mouth. "Ele... I.. Mrs. Lockwood."

Sage laughs and hurries to help Damon out. "We've gotten quite informal here, we all use first names." The redhead winks at Elena while nudging Damon forward.

"Of course," Elena quickly agrees. "Damon?"

"Elena...," he gushes and is in front of her in no time. With a wide smile, he lifts her hand to his mouth, holding it a little longer than necessary. He brushes each fingertip with his lips before releasing it.

Kol and Sage share a look and excuse themselves from the room.

As soon as they hear the parlor door click shut, he pulls her into his arms and joins their lips in a fiery kiss.

* * *

"Why didn't you want me to help you? Or Sage and Kol? It must have been so hard on you..."

"It's not that, you have been my greatest support, Damon. Even though you weren't there, you still helped me to get through it. The whole time I was away, even though I couldn't see you, you were right there, your strength giving me the power to do what I needed to do."

Damon can't believe what she's saying, and most of all that she's here, holding his hand. They've been sitting on the bench in the garden for hours now. When they hear kids squealing for papa and grandma, Damon knows that Niklaus and his family have arrived and that dinner will be served shortly. He helps her to stand and with their arms linked, they walk very slowly back to the house.

"Was it bad?" he asks, before they go inside.

"It... wasn't pleasant," Elena doesn't want to lie but she's not exactly eager to repeat the conversations. "But it was necessary. And you are worth it." She smiles and squeezes Damon's hand. They are no longer obliged to keep their distance from each other as before.

"What happens now?" Damon still feels a bit unsure. Although with each passing moment, he starts to believe that she's truly his. It's the most wonderful, the most precious feeling that he's ever felt.

Elena gives him a small smile. "Now, Damon, the future depends only on us... This is our day one and as far as what we do with it goes, that's a decision we'll make together."

Damon watches a shadow wash over her features. "Elena?"

"I have to tell you something though," she pauses but Damon's just patiently waiting for when she's ready, bracing himself for whatever it might be. "I... may not be able to give you children." He can see how painful this confession is for her.

He quickly maneuvers to step in front of her, stopping her movement. With his eyes firmly on hers, he snakes his arms under hers, clasps his hands together at the small of her back and waits till she raises her eyes to meet his. "You know this for sure, Elena or is it something that George taunted you with?"

Elena shrugs, but it's not indifference, it's a deep wound he can tell. "I've never had a doctor confirm it if that's what you mean. It's just that George and I were together for two years and I never got pregnant. He told me that he had 'accidents before," her face twists in disgust at the thought of what an abhorrent man he really was.

Damon embraces her for a moment. They're hidden by the trees, no one should be able to see them. He gives her a gentle kiss on the forehead, then when she raises her chin, he plants another one on her lips. "I love you... Let's not worry about that now. We'll cross the bridge when we have to. If you want my opinion, what's two years, it's nothing. My parents were married for six years before my mother got pregnant with me. And if it is true, I am completely happy to have just you. I don't want to marry you for children alone, I want to marry you because of you."

Elena's breath hitches when she realizes what he's saying. She opens her mouth to speak but no sound comes out. Damon brushes his finger across her lips and then bends forward and whispers against them, "I knew you were the one the first time I laid eyes on you. I was up on A deck watching the passengers embark. I saw you and I was a goner. But when you kissed me that night, I knew with absolute certainty that you were made for me. I just didn't know it would ever be possible for us to be together... Please say yes."

Elena finds herself nodding without needing to think about it at all. "I will..."

Damon's face is beaming. He only now realizes that he has no ring, although he already has one picked out. He saw it in a shop window while he passed by on the way to work. He still doesn't have the house or permanent job. She's a young widow from the upper class, a whole world away from his own and yet he knows they were fated to be together. And suddenly, he's feeling an overriding need to check her left hand, she may still be wearing his ... _No, her hands are bare._

He kisses the back of her fingers. _She wouldn't come to him with George's ring on her finger._ He contemplates apologizing for not having the ring ready but she clearly didn't expect one. It warms his heart to see her skin, her complexion, her whole demeanor radiating with joy and happiness. It makes his heart swell. _He did this, he made her happy._ And then he leans down, capturing her lips with his, a long, slow, deep kiss, that weakens her knees. Elena melts into him as he tilts her head slightly. He gently nibbles on her lip, soothing it with his tongue. When they part, their eyes meet and a huge smiles forms on both of their faces.

Damon doesn't say anything, he simply holds her close because this moment is perfect as it is.

 _TBC_

* * *

 _Eva, I love you dearly. Thank you for allowing me to monopolize your time and keep you up till the wee hours of dawn._

 _Thank you to each and everyone of you. Your support is what keeps me and Eva engaged in writing these stories. You are the best there is. Thank you so much._

 _Chapter title: Starting on Day One._

 _Please have a look at "Tomorrow" and "TIWWM"._

 _I hope you all have a phenomenal weekend. Love you all and thank you again._


	10. Today You're Mine

Their dinner is reminiscent of those they all shared on the Lusitania before everything went so tragically wrong. It's different for Damon though, he normally didn't eat or sit at same tables as the extremely wealthy first class passengers. Niklaus' children keep the adults entertained with their youthful innocence. As soon as they finish eating, their parents give them permission to run outside to play in the backyard. Bonita, one of their maids follows along to keep an eye on them.

Elena is the center of attention, the women insisting that she tell them _everything_ that happened since they parted ways at the harbor. Mr. Mikaelson Sr. and Finn engage in conversation about business as usual. It strikes Damon as funny the way the two men can't resist eavesdropping and inserting their opinions when Elena tells them about both of her families. It's clear the Mikaelson family doesn't share the Lockwood and the Gilbert opinions on what Elena should do with her life. The younger ones look rather enraged on Elena's behalf. Yet it's Mikael and Esther's disapproval that warms Elena's heart. Damon feels extremely grateful that these kind people have taken both him and Elena under their wings.

Elena more so because she needs the support and he can see by the happy glow on her face that she feels good. As they sit next to each other they always find the opportunity to brush their sides or just fingertips. At one point he even dares to take her hand for a few moments.

After dinner they all move to the garden, it's a warm summer evening and no one wants it to end. The children and Bonita are playing with a ball. Their laughter fills the air, Damon hopes someday that he and Elena can be outside on a night just like this, playing with their own children. If she isn't able to have one, perhaps they can adopt a baby or maybe they could give a home to some child from an orphanage. His best friend growing up, Alaric Saltzman lived at their church orphanage. His mother used to cook for them. Damon would play with the kids while she was busy in the kitchen.

"Thank you," Damon says when their maid, Alaze serves coffee. Kol, on the other hand, receives his preferred bourbon. Niklaus takes a sip of his coffee and addresses his younger sibling. "Brother, I wasn't aware that you had an interest in the shipping business or are you looking to become America's next humanitarian of the year?"

Kol blinks and gives him a curious but rather amused look. "What are you talking about, brother?"

Niklaus turns his look back to the newspaper he's just reading. _"The Manchester Manx Society rewarded the 'Wanderer' skipper and her crew with medals designed by Mr. F. S. Graves with the inscription: "In remembrance of the fortunate act of charity and courage."_ He winks at their mother before continuing.

 _"On July 5th, Lord Raglan presented medals to the men on Tynwald Day, the Isle of Man Day."_

Niklaus turns his head, his eyes meeting his younger brother's. _"However, the rewards were not over yet. William Ball, an employee of the Wanderer's owner, received word that funds had been lodged with a lawyer in Peel on behalf of one of the American survivors he had rescued. Mr. Ball said the money is going to be used to underwrite the building of his own fishing boat, to be built in Peel according to his personal specifications. He wanted to thank the young whippersnapper for his generosity."_

He puts the newspaper down and drops his glasses onto his lap. "Whippersnapper?"

Everyone else is looking at Kol by the time Niklaus finishes the article. It's obvious that the American survivor is Kol. True to form, Kol smirks, "Ehm, what can I say? I place a pretty high value on my life as I'm sure you all do." Raising an eyebrow had adds, "How could I not express my gratitude to the man who made sure that I was saved? Wouldn't it have been bad luck to do anything less?"

Niklaus rolls his eyes at his antics. "Yeah, yeah, I'm sort of glad you're safe as well," he admits with a crooked smile. "What I'm trying to say, is it that you used your money for some actual purpose, a meaningful one at that and not just fun?"

All the Mikaelson children have funds at their disposal. They have been entrusted to invest into their own endeavors or rather the family business if they so choose. Kol however has been in no hurry to engage himself in real work.

Mikael Mikaelson looks at his youngest son closely, torn as to whether he should be impressed or rather concerned for Kol spending so much money for others. "It was a nice gesture son. But you should consider investing into some actual business, maybe participate in family matters..."

"Well, I'm actually glad you brought that up, father," Kol relaxes and finds a comfortable position, his face indicating he found his usual ground. "I have decided to join the family, or lets say Niklaus' business, the shipping line he's planning to start."

Niklaus exchanges look with his father. "I've been trying to convince you to join for a few years now. You insisted shipping and navigation is not, nor would it ever be something that interests you. Why the change of heart?"

"Well, I changed my mind," Kol declares cheerfully. "However, I have one condition." The silence is deafening. Everyone is looking at him with rapt attention, trying to figure out what this new Kol is up to but clearly he's enjoying the cat and mouse game.

"I will invest both my name and my money into your business, Nik. However there is one condition that I have. There is a person that I would like to be involved. I trust him and I promise you that he'll be an asset to our company and to tell you the truth, he'll be more help than I ever could. "

It takes a moment but then Niklaus' face lights up with a beaming smile and all eyes turn to Damon. Damon's cheeks heat up and he swallows thickly as he doesn't know how to react to the implication. Elena gasps as she correctly comprehends what's going on and squeezes Damon's hand that she's been holding for a while now. "Damon?"

Niklaus bows his head in his direction. "I'd say, welcome to the business, partner."

Damon can't believe what's happening. He looks at Mr. Mikaelson, only to see approval at Kol's choice. Not one of their faces shows even a hint of doubt. At last, he looks at the youngest Mikaelson and can't see to find the words to express how grateful he is. He gawps, only silence leaving his mouth. Kol chuckles, saluting him with his typical amused expression.

* * *

 _August 11_

It's not more than a month later on a beautiful summer day. The early hour that finds Elena dressing up in her room in Sage and May's company. Her dress is decent, her widow status needing to be respected but neither she nor Damon wanted to postpone the wedding. To hell with societal conventions and other people's opinions, what matters is that they're going to be together. The two of them sat down with the entire Mikaelson family including Mikael and Esther. They asked for their advice and instead of frowns, they received their full support. Esther was almost giddy to have the wedding at their estate. The matriarch rolled up her sleeves and in less than a few days time, had almost everything organized. Elena was grateful that she embraced the older woman and held on for dear life. Elena is looking at herself in the mirror. Although she's a little nervous, it's nothing like what she felt when she was readying herself to marry George.

She startles slightly as Sage gently takes her shoulders and turns her around to give her one more once over and to consider last minute touches. She smiles with satisfaction when she sees Elena wearing the bracelet she lent her. It's quite old, it belonged to Sage's grandmother. She runs her fingertips over the emerald stones and when her eyes meet Elena's again, she gushes, "Are you ready?"

A beaming Elena bobs her head excitedly. "I'm more than ready to drop the last name 'Lockwood'. And I can't wait to become 'Mrs. Salvatore'."

"All right then, lets not keep them waiting."

* * *

Damon waits impatiently at the altar, not from nerves, but from anticipation. He can't wait to have her stand by his side. Until he hears the Father's confirmation, only then will he believe that this is all real, that's it's not some beautiful dream that he's going to wake up from. Damon takes a moment to glance at the guests. His mom and dad are sitting in the front row. His mother is already in tears but he knows they're happy ones. He smiles and then his gaze reaches Kelly who's sitting beside his mother. When he glances down the aisle again and Elena is still not there, he rubs his clammy hands together. Kol, standing beside him, gives him a friendly pat. "She's coming, no worries."

Damon nods but barely pays him any attention. Finally, the music starts playing and then... first Sage and May, then Elena walk up the makeshift aisle to him. Mikael is her escort as her own family chose not to attend. It's hurts Damon though because he knows that despite everything, she still felt a little hurt inside at yet another rejection. May takes her place to Sage's left to mimic that of her husband who is standing to the right of Kol.

When they finally reach the end of the path, Damon takes Elena's hand from Mikael and they turn to the altar when the Father starts talking. He breathes a sigh of relief. Now everything's right in the world.

* * *

The reception is much bigger than they meant it to be but it's alright because that's how their family and friends like it. Damon and Elena are just happy to be together, everything else is unimportant. Soon they leave them to celebrate their union and the carriage takes them to their new house. The generosity of the Mikaelson family is without equal. They helped them buy and get their home ready in record time.

Elena made a deal with the Lockwoods, giving them everything except her own dowry that she brought into the union when she married George. She was quite surprised when they also gave her compensation for her and George's home since they planned to keep the place. Although she tried to say no, eventually she accepted, because they appeared to be genuine in their offer. They used that money to begin to build their new life together. Although Damon would have liked to arrange it by himself, he didn't begin to have the means to make such a grand purchase. Noticing that he was rather melancholy about it, both the Mikaelsons and Elena herself persuaded him that they're going to be one family and Elena's money is _theirs_ now.

Once he carries her over the threshold and kicks the door shut with his boot, he sits on the couch with her, holding her close and kissing her senseless. All ruffled in his arms, warm and out of breath, she's looking up at him adoringly. Damon's heart squeezes almost painfully. How did he deserve this? He gives her one more kiss. "I love you... And I want to make love to you. But I don't want to hurt you."

Nothing can compare to Elena's feelings right now. She's not afraid of the act itself, it's the circumstances and the man. She knows being with Damon will be a world apart from being with George. That though alone makes all the difference in her thoughts about coupling, she no longer dreads it, she's excited to share something so profound with her new husband.

"I love you," she whispers. "And I want all of you. I want to be your wife in every sense of the word." She doesn't even know where the words come from but it all feels so natural, that she doesn't even need to think it through. She moves in a sitting position and turns around waiting for him to help her undress.

He starts undoing the buttons with shaky fingers not quite believing this is happening. Half way through he lets instinct take over and plants gentle kisses on her bare back along the way. Elena shivers and closes her eyes to keep the feeling inside. When he bares her shoulders, she keeps the dress to her chest and turns to face him. With one hand she caresses his cheek.

"I'm not afraid, Damon, I know you won't hurt me. I want you to make love to me," she repeats the words knowing she has yet to experience what they truly mean. She lets the dress go and Damon pulls her closer to satiate the overwhelming need that's been growing inside since the day she first kissed him aboard the Lusitania.

He lifts her into his arms again and slowly lays her down on the bed. He carefully peels off her underwear and gets rid of his own clothes rather quickly, all the while keeping his eyes on her face so as not to make her feel uncomfortable. Elena watches him calmly and when he moves to lay beside her, she reaches out to embrace him, letting him know she's ready. They lay like this for a few minutes just soaking up the warmth of each other, synchronizing their breaths until it feels like they're one.

At some point Damon starts caressing her back and shoulders, his gentle fingers following the line of her spine, descending lower and lower with each move. He feels Elena's fingers massaging his shoulders and can tell the exact moment she relaxes and arches her back in reaction as he presses himself against her lower abdomen. He rolls her on her back, his hand brushes the damp hairs and suddenly he can't wait anymore. With as much patience he can manage he moves on top of her, Elena surprising him as she slips under him, receiving him in a welcoming gesture.

Her soft sigh when he enters her doesn't sound like a protest but he doesn't move for a few moments just to assure himself that she's alright. Slowly he starts moving while kissing her lips and neck and shoulders, every place he can reach. He's delighted by Elena's reactions, her ragged breaths, every kiss she returns with vehemence, encouraging his efforts. When she squeezes his buttocks to pull him even deeper he loses his remaining composure and pounds into her with all he has to give. He knows he won't last after all the months of longing but he can't help it. A few more thrusts later he feels his insides tighten and he's coming in powerful waves, pressing into her with ferocity.

At the moment he starts thinking again he feels panic rising. _Did he hurt her? Is she alright?_ He lifts his head checking her over. Elena's caressing his arm, her eyes closed, trying to slow down her breathing.

"Elena? Are you alright?"

She opens her eyes, swimming in tears and nods. "I'm more than alright. I... I...," she can't find the words to tell him she never felt like that before. With her first husband, it was a chore, a duty but with Damon, she now knows what it means to be loved and cherished and wanted. And more importantly, she knows how it feels to truly share herself with someone that she loves. It is a wonderful, moving and meaningful feeling so much so that her love for him brought her to tears.

Damon looks at her with concern but the more he's trying to read her reactions, the more he's sure she speaks the truth. _She's more than alright._ However... "I'm sorry Elena, I'll make it up to you."

Elena gives him a confused look. "What are you talking about? You have nothing to feel sorry about..."

Damon shifts to move beside her and starts caressing her chest with his mouth, descending lower. He doesn't hesitate to put his hand right where she aches, the kind of ache that is not exactly painful. While he lays his head down on her belly, his fingers are doing wonderful things to her body, her body reacting in the most amazing ways.

"What are you doing...?" Elena breathes, her heart pounding against her chest wall.

"Relax Elena, just let yourself feel."

Elena does just that. Her head keeps spinning and the aching feeling growing to the point of no return. She can vaguely recognize Damon taking her under her knee opening her up to him and at the final moment she thinks she feels his tongue caressing her most intimate places. And then her body jerks forward, her hand catching Damon's to ground herself, her shaking form falling deep into oblivion for a long, blissful moment.

She comes to her senses to Damon's soothing words, lying in his arms like a rag doll, feeling absolutely boneless. He's looking down at her lovingly and she can tell he's happy. _Just like she is._ "What was that?" she asks aloud.

"That, Elena, was how much I love you. It was making love," he answers softly.

The next minutes he's busy to stop the flow of happy tears. Not that he minds. And then he needs to show her again.

* * *

It's still early, the sky grey and overcast, rain splattering against their bedroom windows. The fresh salty sea air intrudes the privacy of their room. Damon's having a wonderful dream about making love to his beautiful wife, he subconsciously fights whatever is trying to arouse him from his slumber. He wants to hold onto it just a little longer so he can once again experience the most unique sensation, that of coming inside of her, surrounded by her warm, tight and oh so gorgeous body.

He's not going to have it and his mind snaps into consciousness only to find that the dream was not a dream as he can feel Elena's mouth on him under the covers. The shock wakes him completely and an uncensored moan escapes at the same time he raises his hips to go deeper inside.

"Eleeeena!"

He really has no choice in that matter, he can only let himself fall over the edge at her command. His hands are fisting the sheet beneath him, anchoring him to the earth when the rest of him is flying.

She slowly moves upwards, leaving trail of kisses on his chest. Her hair in all directions, she emerges from under the sheets, an adorable look on her face. Damon, panting heavily, brings her closer, relishing in her warmth she so generously shares. She nestles on his chest, listening to the beat of his heart, lulling her back to sleep.

"You don't need to do that...," he kisses her forehead. "Not that I'm complaining though.. wow."

"Why?" she rises her head leaning her chin against his collar bone to look at him. "You do that all the time... And I like it," she adds with a shade of pink coloring her cheeks.

Damon gives her a beaming smile and not for the first time he thinks how lucky he is to have her by his side. He bares her shoulder and starts giving it open-mouthed kisses.

"No, Damon, we don't have time!"

"Are you sure? I think we still have a little time..." Elena moans and Damon promptly turns her around, her back to his chest. He lifts her knee to drape her leg over his hip and then without hesitation, he enters her from behind while his other hand plays her like a virtuoso with his Stradivarius. There's still the instinct to be careful not to hurt her but in moments like this Elena welcomes him completely, knowing she's perfectly safe with him, are glorious beyond his ability to speak. In no time she starts trembling and a few gasps later they are both falling into oblivion. They have no time to recover though before...

"Mama? Papa?"

Elena quickly pushes down her nightdress and Damon adjusts his pajama bottoms, winking at her. "That was close!" He pushes the heavy door open letting their boy inside. Peter doesn't hesitate and makes a beeline right for his parents' bed. Once he crawls under the covers beside his mother, he calls for his dad. "Come papa, we lay here."

Damon chuckles and joins them on the bed. "Is that right? And why aren't you still asleep?"

"We go to see ships today," he looks at Elena for confirmation.

Elena nods with a smile. "Of course we are. We're going to see daddy at work. Big ships and all."

Damon can't stop looking at his family. It wasn't even a year after the wedding when Elena told him she was pregnant, her worries turning out to be unfounded. Peter Joseph was born four years ago and they have hopes to add more children to their family.

The Mikaelson business expanded successfully, so much so that even Kol settled down to do some work. Damon couldn't wish for a better job, he gets to go to the sea when he likes but thanks to the work he does in the office he doesn't need to leave his family too often. Reluctantly, he gets up and starts his daily routine before leaving for work. "Bye-bye papa, we come to see you!" Peter waves standing at the open door with his mom.

Several hours later Elena walks along the harbor, her son in tow, stopping every few steps to see what he's pointing at. Everything seems so interesting! Although it's not the first time they head for the harbor, Peter always finds it fascinating. _He's so much like his dad._

Elena watches a large transoceanic ship disembark, the tugboat horns blaring alerting the harbor that their ship is making sail. She can't but think of the unfortunate Lusitania. Despite the tragic circumstances, she can't completely dismiss these memories. How could she? The voyage gave her a new life, Damon and Peter Joseph. It gave her people who became a true family, despite no blood relation. She wonders how many lives have been changed since that fateful day, for worse and sometimes for the better.

She can see Damon coming out of the office building to join them for lunch. Peter runs ahead and jumps into his arms. And Elena knows she will never regret anything that happened to her, leading right to this moment. She quickens her pace to catch up with her boys.

 _Fin_

* * *

 _The RMS Lusitania was a British Ocean liner of the early twentieth century, owned and operated by the Cunard Line. Her keel was laid on 16, June 1904 and she was launched on 7 June 1906. Lusitania began her maiden voyage out of Liverpool, England on 7, September 1907 and arrived in New York on 13 September._

 _Lusitania was the largest, fasted and most luxurious ship in the world at the time of her launch, although she was soon eclipsed in size and speed by her sister ship, Mauretania and in size and luxury by rivals Olympic and Titanic. Lusitania would make 202 crossings during her 7 year and 9 month career._

 _Lusitania became a casualty of World War 1. On 7 May 1915, Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland by the German submarine U-20, sinking in 18 minutes. Of the 1,959 passengers on board, 1,198 perished in the Lusitania disaster._ _The wreck of the Lusitania lies at 51_ ° 25′ _N8_ ° _33_ ′ _W_ , _about 300 feet underwater and approximately 11 miles south of Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland._

 _Lusitania was carrying a great number of Americans, women and children as well as war material for the British Army. The sinking of the Lusitania and resulting deaths of civilians and neutral nationals aboard the ship is considered one of the first modern examples of 'total war' and a turning point in WW1._

 _The sinking of the Lusitania is credited for turning the then neutral American public opinion against Germany. Fearing American wrath, Germany restrained themselves in submarine warfare which may have been Germany's best chance at winning the war. Yet it was Germany's resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare in early 1917 that finally forced the United States to declare war._

* * *

 _Thank you all for coming on this voyage with Eva and I. A huge thanks to **Salvatoreboys4ever** for suggesting this story. I'm very glad that Eva and I could write this for you, Bonnie. Please check out her stories too. She's very talented. _

_Thank you all for you reviews, follows, favorites, encouraging words and endless support. You're all the BEST._

 _And Eva, without you, I would not be here. You make everything better, your wisdom, brilliance, insight is remarkable. Thank you for everything you do for me._

 _Chapter title: 'Today You're Mine'_

 _I did post what I imagined to be her wedding gown and diamond ring on my FB page._

 _'Tomorrow' and 'This Isn't What We Meant' continue._

 _I hope you all have a fabulous day. Thank you all again for your amazing outpouring of support._


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